Journey of a Lifetime (Revisioned)
by CasualGamerArtist
Summary: 21 years of age, and struggling to figure out what he wants to do in life, Zak makes an unintentional wish of wanting to experience a whole new life. With his wish heard, he is thrust into an entirely new adventure, into a land that is both familiar yet foreign to him. The only question remains is whether he and his new friends survive the treacherous northern lands and its laws.
1. Intro

**Here is the first chapter of my newly revised story! To be honest, I think I first finished and uploaded this short introduction about two years ago. Yyyyyyeah. Really took my sweet time getting my butt into gear with writing the next chapter, but now I'm looking forward to working on the story and bringing it to you all to enjoy!**

**Also, just a heads up, this is a self-insert story. If there are those who aren't a fan of these types of stories, go ahead and move along.**

**Have a good read and review if you like it! I love receiving feedback on my work!**

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**Intro: Bringing Up to Speed**

_Have you ever felt stressed out from life? Has it ever gotten to a certain point where you wished you could be taken away from the real world and spend a day? Several days? Maybe even a few months someplace completely different? Maybe someplace in a story? A movie? I hit one of those points before. And I'll say it honestly…I sometimes think it was both an amazing and a terrifying wish._

_But what wish did I make exactly? What do I mean by terrifying and amazing? _

_Well…it's a bit of a long story. _

_To understand what I mean, I'll start at the beginning. This is the story of an adventure I never thought I would have. A story of how I had been changed to understand of just how much alike we humans are to animals and the daily struggles we share. Or in this case…nightly struggles. _

_This is a story…of how I went from a man struggling in the real world...to a bat in a much bigger and more dangerous world than my own._

_And lemme tell ya' firsthand: It's one hell of a life._

_When I made that wish, I was not expecting it to be granted, let alone answered by a being of higher power! Before I could even ask if there was some sort of policy of taking back wishes, bit of comical sarcasm there, I was changed. Transformed. Shrunken down to a very small and vulnerable size. And when I woke up? I was in an animal shelter. Well, that's not all._

_I wasn't a human anymore. I had been turned into a bat! And from what a few other bats I met and made friends with in the short while I was there, I was a Greywing. I guess I should've figured it out before, since my body was now just all grey fur of different shades. Anyway, while I spent the first few days of my new life in the shelter, I learned how to properly control my wings and, after many failures and bruises, I could finally fly on my own! And, boy, what an amazing feeling to glide through the air and feel what it's like to actually be a bat._

_The four bats who helped me? I'll never ever forget their names. Grania, Agatone, Nuri and Aldin. They had to be the first four bat friends I made when my journey began. Not only did they help me figure out how to fly but they were also very accepting about my true origins about being human. Even if I kind of sounded a little loopy before. Afterwards, upon seeing that I was okay and showed no signs of any injury or sickness, the people who had found me decided it was time for me to be released._

_Now? I was out in the wild. The open air. And a whole new perspective on the world. At that moment, I had to figure out my next move. Where do I go from here? Who or what was I going to run into next?_

_Well...I was going to find out soon enough._

_And that night would be when my journey would begin. A journey frought with danger, wonder and beauty._

_That very same night, I was going to meet the bat who would become the northern lands bravest hero._


	2. First Meetings & Glimpse of the Sun

**Chapter 1: First Meetings & Glimpse of the Sun**

The night was peaceful and cool. The light of the moon shining down upon the forest, the crickets chirping into the air and the fireflies flashing about created a very serene atmosphere. And being near the edge of a large lake, the waters gently churning against the shoreline made the entire scene all the more peaceful. A lone insect, a tiger moth, fluttered gingerly over the rippling water and towards a small crop of wildflowers growing nearby. The plump bug gracefully landed on the petal of one of the plants and began to feed on the sweet nectar, blissfully unaware of anything going on around it as it drank through it's straw-like tongue. It only gave the lightest of indications that it could hear the noises around it.

And, unfortunately for it, it should have been more alert.

Something huge and fast snatched up the moth before it could even realize something had been flying at it. The dark blur swooped upwards to the trees before it carefully slowed down to perch on a branch. It was a bat. But it was no ordinary bat, at least to the normal naked eye. And unknown to those who didn't know any better. It was a male bat, a Greywing, to be exact. A little bit on the softer side in terms of his body type, but he never let it bother him. His fur was a blueish grey color, his fluffy mane a dark brown and his hair, itself neat while a little floofy on its own was a darker shade of brown. The outer sides of his wings were dark grey while the insides were a lighter shade.  
And his name was Zakari. Or rather, as he preferred it, Zak. He gingerly chowed down on the moth, giving a hum of approval at the juicy and meaty taste.

_'Hmm! That one was good,'_ The young man thought to himself, licking his teeth for any remains of the insect, _'That oughta' be enough for the night. But, just to make sure, I should look for one more. Food's getting kind of harder to find.'_

The 21-year-old male knew he was right. With how the nights and days began to grow cooler, and the colors of the leaves were changing, fall was coming. And during that time, all the bugs and other insects would be going away for hibernation. Which meant trouble for him. Even though Zak had gotten the hang of flying and the basics of hunting, he was still very new to the concept of hibernation and preparing himself for it. Would he even be able to hibernate? He shook his head to clear the worrisome thoughts, now was not the time to be worrying about the 'what-ifs' and 'maybes'. He just had to focus on hunting for his fill before sunrise. He still remembered the warnings his bat friend's had given him: Never fly in daylight. Or the owls will get you.

It almost felt like what an adult would tell their kids to scare them into behaving. But Zak was old enough to know how serious it truly was. Glancing up at the sky, he checked the position of the moon and estimated that he still had a couple more hours of night before he needed to find someplace to roost. With a quick flex of his wings, the Greywing took flight, heading deeper into the woods for his next meal.  
Zak flew for what felt like much longer then he intended, keeping an ear and eye out for potential prey. He was beginning to get nervous about getting caught in the daylight. He only needed to find one, at the very least, one more bug to eat so that he wouldn't go hungry. Just as he was about to call it quits, he saw it.

There was a flash of orange down below, near the ground. That was it! With a determined grin, the Greywing partly closed his wings to dive straight down at his target, the moth much more alert then the last one, as it immediately took flight. Now, the chase was on. Zak spread his wings wide and arched his back to sharply pull up to avoid touching the ground, a feat that was a little strenuous on his back, before flapping his wings hard to follow after the juicy insect. This moth was fast as it was agile. Zak's sharp eyes tracked how it moved as it ducked and weaved through the smallest openings of either bushes, low hanging tree branches or even the exposed overgrown roots of the trees. But he wasn't about to lose this meal. No way! If there's one thing he wasn't going to lose to, it would be this fat and juicy moth. And he wasn't about to let it escape him.  
Though as he flew, he could sense the presence of another bat somewhere around him. He wasn't exactly sure how, but he could feel it. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up. But right now, his important task was trying to get away in front of him. He pumped his wings faster to catch up to the moth, dodging through branches with spaces big enough for the thicker bodied male to slip past, although he had to break hard to avoid slamming into a mess of tree roots and fly over it. And somehow the moth was still getting away!

_'Dammit! This isn't working! Time to gain a bit of altitude and think of a new plan!'_ Zak thought as he flew up higher and get himself a better vantage point while maintaining his speed, but he was starting to get tired from the workout on his wings.

The moth was still visible, clear as day, but how soon would it be before it disappeared or this unknown bat got it before him? He wasn't entirely sure on how hunting rights worked, like whether it was similar to finders keepers, but he wasn't about to let his meal get snatched up by someone else. He saw it first, he was going to get it. Sure enough, the Greywing spotted another flash of fur further down below him. It was indeed another bat going after the same tiger moth.

_'Ohhh, no you don't,'_ He smirked testingly, _'This one is mine!'_

Without a minute's hesitation, Zak pushed his wings to their limit as he tried to gain some distance ahead of the other bat. And ever closer to the moth, its bright shining colors very visible even in the darkness of the night. But thanks to his new eyes, he could very easily see his environment as he slowly descended, further and further. He had to wait for the perfect moment. Watching. Waiting. Getting lower. And...there!  
Diving straight down yet again, and right upon seeing the unknown bat just about the catch the insect themselves, the Greywing quickly snapped up the bug in his jaws, and gave a triumphant whoop as he pulled up and found himself a comfortable spot to rest. He had gotten it. Smiling brightly at his successful hunt, and panting from the effort of keeping up with the bug's speed, Zak spat out the still wriggling moth into his hand and looked over its body, licking his lips in both hunger and pride. It was a difficult catch, but all that hard work was so worth it if it meant getting to finally enjoy his meal. Leaning back against the smooth bark of the tree he had chosen, he prepared to devour his catch.

"Hey!" A small male voice suddenly called out, nearly startling Zak by the pitch and tone, "That was mine! Do you think you can just fly right in and steal someone else's food?" The unknown bat had found his spot, landing just a few steps away and looking quite displeased at the Greywing. Zak took notice by how this bat looked. Judging by his voice and appearance, this one must've been somewhere in his mid teens, but the exact age was unknown. He had light pale blue fur and a head of blonde hair, including his mane. And he was...quite small, to say the least. About two and a half heads shorter then the Greywing himself. The younger male huffed, but his peeved expression faltered somewhat when Zak stood up straight, seeing just how tall he really was. His voice stuttered a little as he kept talking, "Y-You, um, p-planning on eating that moth or, uh, or-or what?" At this question, and combined with the much more insecure face he pulled, Zak just couldn't bring himself to eat the moth now. Who knew how long this little guy had been hunting for this particular moth?

"Wait, hang on, I'm sorry. For stealing your catch." Zak spoke to the young bat with a sincere tone, "Really, I am. Its just that I saw it by itself at first and I didn't notice you until just a little while ago. I thought you were a grown bat trying to steal it away from me." As soon as those words left his mouth, the shorter bat's face immediately turned to a frown and his ears lowered. Wrong choice of words, Zak realized, this bat was probably already feeling bad enough about his size. And he just went and made it worse.  
"No, wait, I didn't mean it like that! I'm not trying to make fun of your size! Really, I'm not! It's just that-!" The Greywing stopped himself and took a breath. He needed to calm down, breathe, and talk slowly. No rushing his own words. Just talk. "Look, I think we got off the wrong foot here. I didn't mean to steal your catch, honestly. Uh, here," He said, holding out the moth to the smaller bat, "Take it. It's yours."

The only response that met him was a rather surprised and confused look on the blue bat's face. It looked as if this was the first time someone gave up their catch to him. Did he regularly have his meals stolen from him? Zak just patiently watched, then gave a little nod to his hand, letting the younger bat know that this wasn't a trick against him. The blue furred male reached out for the moth, occasionally flinching back as if expecting Zak to suddenly take his hand back, before more confidently reaching for the insect.

But just before the younger male's fingers even touched the moth, something big suddenly rushed between the two of them. The Greywing swore he felt something nick his hand, yelping at the exact same time as the smaller bat. It was just a second after for Zak to realize that the moth had also disappeared from his grasp.

"Wha-?!" Was all he could utter as he quickly glanced to where the blur had come from. Just off in the distance, the Greywing realized it was another bat, this one clearly bigger. And he spotted the tiger moth in their mouth. Did this guy, or girl, just snatch it from him? He was so shocked, and a little miffed, at the action that he barely heard the smaller bat take flight and call after the thief. It took a couple of seconds before Zak spread his wings and took flight himself, following after the two bats. He didn't have to follow them for very long as they flew up to one of the taller trees. From there, he could now see two other bats that were roosted there. From the excited chatter he could hear, this bat had to be the popular one. But what he heard? It made the dark furred male groan in annoyance.

"Good catch, Chinook!" A chubbier looking male bat, Todd, cheered.

"Cool technique, that tiger moth didn't see what hit 'em!" A female, Breeze, standing just beside where the chubby bat was hanging, piped up. Meanwhile, the larger male, Chinook, just chowed down on the moth like it was no one's business.

He just smirked confidently and replied, "I know. And you got that right, Breeze. Even Shade and that other guy didn't see it coming!" With that, the trio burst out laughing

_'Ah, great,'_ Zak rolled his eyes as he flew closer, _'A show-off.'_ He wasn't much farther behind Shade, having caught the name just before reaching the tree, who landed right near Chinook and complained about how the moth was going to be his. He only heard part of what the dark blue male was saying before he spoke up, "Uh, actually, that was initially my tiger moth. At first," He said, turning to look at Chinook and his two friends, "But I was going to give it to, hang on, Shade, was it?" He quickly diverted his attention to the shorter teen who just gave a little nod, before Zak turned back to Chinook, "To Shade. And I still had it in my hand before you came along and stole it for yourself." At the end, he let a bit of annoyance slip from his tone of voice. Chinook merely rolled his eyes lazily and picked at his teeth with his index claw.

"Well, maybe you should have just kept it to yourself, big guy," He replied rather dismissively and teasingly, "Plus, it looks like you could do with a bit of a break from the moths." That comment was directed at Zak's slightly chubby frame. The Greywing just gawped lightly at the comment, although not bothered easily by comments aimed at his body, the young adult just frowned and flashed a quick middle finger to Chinook while his back was turned. Well, as best as his winged fingers could, anyway. Shade just gave a funny and curious look at Zak, not knowing exactly what the one-fingered gesture meant. The Greywing just waved his hand as if to say to not mind him. The smaller male just turned to Chinook and frowned as he continued talking, "Besides, tiger moths are hard to catch if you can't see past their echo protection. I'm surprised someone like you was even able to catch it in the first place."

"I-I'm sorry, what's that supposed to mean?" Zak sharply spoke up, raising an eyebrow, "Someone like _me_?" Seeing the look on his face, Todd and Breeze briefly glanced at one another with an expression of unease. They had never seen this Greywing before, they didn't know his age but they did know that he was older then they were, judging by his height. But, luckily, Shade piped up before things could escalate, while Zak just crossed his arms and huffed.

"Echo _protection_? You mean echo _projection_." He corrected, but was met with an even more dismissive response as Chinook just glanced at him once and turned back again, "And I'd say this guy has more experience if he was able to catch it without being fooled by the moth!"

"Yeah, whatever. Now, what was I talking about before I was forced to eat yet _another_ tiger moth?" He wondered aloud, the showoffy tone making both Zak and Shade roll their eyes.

"You were telling us about your dad?" Breeze spoke up excitedly, Todd nodding in addition. And from there, Chinook began to go into a spiel about how his dad was, apparently, so big that he could kill an owl. Zak wasn't sure, he had stopped listening to the guy as soon as he began bragging.

While that was going on, Shade had decided to ignore Chinook as well and asked, "So...how did you wind up on your own? And what kind of bat are you? I haven't seen any others like you before, especially one who isn't with their colony. Oh, and, sorry about earlier. With the tiger moth, I meant. I'm Shade. And I'm a Silverwing, in case you didn't know."

Zak just smiled at the polite greeting and returned it with the same polite manner, "My name's Zak, nice to meet you, Shade. And, well, if I'm not mistaken, I'm lacking in every other color except for varying shades of grey. So...I guess that makes me a Greywing." He said in a joking manner, before he glanced over to Chinook who was still going into how amazing and huge his father was and whispered to Shade, "Geez, he's just full of himself, isn't he? How do you even put up with him?"

Shade just scoffed and rolled his eyes, "It's pretty difficult, actually. He's always going on and on and on about how great he is and how good of a hunter he is. But, to be honest, I just tune him out when he does this. That way I'm not constantly bombarded by the sheer size of his ego." He whispered so as Chinook wouldn't hear them. But Zak couldn't help but to laugh as quietly as he could. Then, something popped into his head that made it harder to hold his laughter in.

"_Pfff_, h-hey, imagine if his head was as big as his ego," He snickered at the teen, "If he's so confident in his flying abilities, _snrrk_, then the size of his head would make it very difficult for him to fly straight!" The second he had said that, the image of the Silverwing with a cartoonishly over-sized head struggling to keep balance formed in Shade's mind. And soon, the blonde teen had his hands over his mouth to keep from bursting out laughing himself.

"What're you guys giggling about?" Chinook's voice immediately toned the mood down for the two bats.

Still chuckling somewhat, Zak replied after regaining his composure, "Oh nothing interesting. Chinook was your name, right? I was just telling Shade about how ridiculous it sounded about how your dad is big enough to...wait, what was it? Something about killing an owl? Yeah, that was it! I mean, come on, really?" The Greywing smirked, snorting back a laugh while Chinook gave him a particularly surprised face at the mocking tone in his voice. Then he frowned and stepped a little closer.

"What's so funny about that? You calling me a liar?" He asked with a huff, though it faltered when he saw that Zak was slightly taller then him. The latter just grinned and held his hands up in a calming gesture.

"No, no no! Well, not technically, but do you even have any idea of how big owls are compared to us bats? We're practically puny compared to them. Although, there some bats who would be able to handle them." He said as he stepped around the dark navy male, walking towards Breeze and Todd, "If there was a bat big enough to take down an owl, they wouldn't be here in the north. Now, I'm not saying they're here where we live, but if there _were_ giant bats in the north? They'd be so much more dangerous then any of us combined." There, Todd and Breeze looked at each other with worry, and a bit of fear as the Greywing went on, "They have claws twice as sharp and big as ours," He flexed a hand at Todd, who yelped at the gesture and putting the image in his mind of something far more sinister, "And teeth sharper and powerful enough to crunch through bone like its nothing!" Then he flashed his teeth at Breeze while keeping his distance, though the female shuddered and drew back just like Todd did.

Breeze shuddered, "Are there r-really giant bats?"

Zak just nodded, being honest with the knowledge of more carnivorous species existing in the world, "Oh yeah, there are. But, you guys can rest easy, because the only giant bats I know about live way down south where it's hotter all year round. Where there's plenty more food for them to eat. As much big birds and whatever else they want to eat. It's no problem for them to take something like the size of an owl." At that, both Todd and Breeze shivered more as unsettling images formed in their heads.

As he went on with his story, Shade, and even Chinook, were watching and listening with their hearts racing at the thought of giant bats being so dangerous and terrifying. At that moment, Chinook had forgotten about Zak's disbelief about his father. Now, he was second guessing his initial fib from before. Noticing the more shaken face on the male, the Greywing knew his message was clear, he turned away from Todd and Breeze and focused back on the the dark blue bat, "So, all in all, Chinook, not that I'm doubting you, I'm sure your dad really is amazing; but there's no way us northern bats can take down an owl. Even fully grown."

Chinook just swallowed and nodded, "Y-Yeah, I can see...I see your point now. Heh, I mean my dad isn't that big, but...my mom tells me he is pretty impressive. Not like the runt's dad, at least." Right there, from honest and sheepish, to being a total bully once more. Those words immediately made Shade look up at Chinook and scowl. That, and seemingly the word 'runt', set him off.

"Hey! Don't call me a runt! And don't talk bad about my father, you don't know anything about him!" Shade rose his voice up at the taller teen.

"Oh, get over it," Chinook dismissed, frowning down at him, "I don't need to know much other then the fact that he was a troublemaker that got himself killed. I mean there's nothing for you to look forward to when we leave for Hibernaculum. No dad waiting for you, after all. And who knows if you can even make it there on your own with these puny little wings of yours anyway?" Upon saying that, the teen unabashedly grabbed Shade by the wrist and effortlessly lifted him off the surface of the branch, making the smaller male give a slight grunt of discomfort.

Right there, Zak's fur stood up with anger at the sight and he didn't hesitate to stride right over and firmly grasp Chinook's wrist, and a handful of the back of his mane. While it may have been a little much, the Greywing was not about to let him bully someone smaller then him. And luckily, Zak was taller and bigger. So he had the advantage of size to use for intimidation, "Hey, hey! That's enough! Put him down!" He barked at Chinook, tugging on his mane while squeezing Chinook's wrist with his other hand, "Stop, let go of him!"

"What the-?! The heck are of you doing, weirdo?!" The dark blue male shot back, not expecting the sudden assault on him, "What do you care about this little runt anyway?!"

"I said put him down! Now! _Don't_ make me ask you again!" The tone of voice that Zak had used, neither of the teens had ever heard someone speak before, and he tightened his grip on the teen's wrist. One one hand, Chinook was thinking that this lone Greywing was just trying to play tough. But when he looked into his eyes, he saw nothing but intense dislike in them. Like Zak was willing to get down and dirty if necessary. Without a word, Chinook let go of Shade who immediately moved away from the pair, eyeing them with caution and wonder, mostly aimed at Zak before he spoke up in a more even and level voice, "Let me tell you something, you little jerk. If there's one thing, _one thing_, that I hate most about guys like you? It's you thinking you look tough when you treat those smaller then you like garbage. But you know what it really makes you look like? A total as-!" He was about to say the one curse word that would perfectly describe him, but he glanced at Shade and thought better of it, coming up with a more tame word, "A...bully. That's what you are, even if you deny it. You might say it's all in good fun, or that you're not causing any harm or some other poor excuse. But it's none of those things. You leave Shade alone from now on, you got it? Or else you'll be dealing with me. And I hate, I repeat, _hate_, bullies. Now I'm going to ask you one question, Chinook. Are you and I going to have any problems?"

Chinook could only just stare at the Greywing with a questioning and slightly defiant gaze, but something told him that this wasn't the kind of bat to mess with, so he just blinked and shook his head. Giving his answer non-verbally. But when Zak raised his eyebrows with a more questioning look, he spoke up this time, "No. No, we won't...we won't have any problems. I'll leave the runt-", He stopped himself when the Greywing's gaze hardened, and he backpedaled, "I-I mean, _Shade_, alone. I swear." He was a little more reserved now, probably a slightly bruised ego that someone stood up to him like this. But that answer seemed to satisfy the other male, as he finally let go of him, brushing the spot of fur on his mane that he had been holding before.

"Good. Glad we're clear on that." He said in a cheerful tone, despite having been quite firm and ready to fight if he had to moments before. Todd and Breeze were looking on with mouths agape at how Chinook was shutdown so quickly.

Chinook, meanwhile, just rubbed at his wrist before giving one more glance at Shade. He just gave a quiet scoff and spread his wings, "C'mon, guys. Let's head back Tree Haven."

Shade and Zak watched as Chinook and Breeze took off towards a lake in the distance, the tree provided a really good vantage point. But Todd lagged behind and hovered next to the Greywing to quickly say, "Honestly? That was awesome the way you stood up to Chinook. I didn't get your name, but maybe we'll see you back at Tree Haven?" He said with a smile on his fluffy face before he followed after the others.

_'Tree Haven, huh? Might not be a bad idea to spend a night or two there,'_ He thought as he flexed and spread his wings, _'At least I'll have a proper to place to rest if Shade's colony can spare some room.'_

"Well, we should probably head back too, eh Shade?" He asked the teen, meanwhile prepping himself to take flight, "Won't be much longer before daylight arrives."

"Wait, hang on!" Shade quickly spoke up, but began to fidget with his claws, but in a shy way as he glanced up at the Greywing, "Uhh, thanks, for that. Dealing with Chinook, I mean. He's...you can probably already tell that he does a whole lot more then just run his mouth about himself. I've been dealing with it for quite awhile, for about two months now." He squirmed, looking ashamed for admitting the bullying, "The reason why I'm smaller then they are? Well, my mom said it was because I was born a little too early. So my growth has been slower then usual. I can barely do anything to the best of my strength, let alone defend myself. So...um, thanks again."

Zak couldn't help but feel a great amount of sympathy for the Silverwing. He too had dealt with bullying in his early years, but thankfully it all stopped when he had reached his highschool years. Perhaps he had been lucky. Without a second thought, he reached out and placed a hand on Shade's shoulder and gave a comforting smile, "Hey, there's nothing wrong with admitting to what's going on with you. It's better to talk about it rather then keep it bottled up inside. And please, no need to thank me, I did what I thought was right. There's no way I was going to let Chinook treat you like that. And like I said to him before, I really hate bullies. Especially his kind." He glared off at the dark navy bat, before turning back to the Silverwing, "But listen, I'll come back with you. Tree Haven, right? I don't have to be anywhere, so having a good place to sleep and keep shelter would be nice. Plus, just in case, I can keep an eye on things if Chinook tries to get on your nerves again. Sound good?"

With that, Shade smiled and nodded, feeling a whole lot better that he possibly had a new friend that would look after him and protect him. He did have someone like him already, a half sibling, but he couldn't always be there. Plus, he was more of a pacifist and would never go the lengths that Zak did.

"Hey, you guys coming or what?" Chinook suddenly barked at the two, "We're losing nightlight, and I don't want to have be responsible for you two getting snatched by owls."

"Alright, geez!" Zak snapped back, "I thought you would have left already!"

Despite the warning from before, Chinook began to bicker with the Greywing while Shade looked in the opposite direction. Where the soft glow of the sun was beginning to rise. He was tired of listening to Chinook talk about his deceased father in a bad way. He was tired of being belittled for his size. The more he looked at the horizon, the more he began to think of a plan that would no doubt shut Chinook up for good. He turned back to the group right as Zak made a remark about how he's surprised Chinook's voice hadn't grown tired from how much he likes to talk about himself. The Silverwing was about to retort when Shade broke up the squabble.

"Actually, you guys can go on back home. I think I'm going to stay out and see the sun." He uttered with a confident tone, stroking his chin with a thumb as both the dark grey and dark blue males went silent, and Todd and Breeze also froze in midair for a moment before quickly regaining their altitude.

"Huh?" Both Zak and Chinook gawked at the daring tone.

What was he thinking? Even the Greywing knew from what Nuri and Grania told him before he had left that looking at the sun was going against the ancient law. Now Shade was straight up wanting to go against it? He was so shocked that he didn't notice Todd and Breeze had flown back over and landed next to him, along with Chinook. Meanwhile Shade stood on the other side of the Greywing.

"Uhh, see the sun?" Chinook questioned.

All the while Zak just looked from one bat to the other, still looking surprised.

"You heard me, Chinook," Shade replied confidently, "The law about us bats not allowed to see the sun? It's stupid, isn't it?"

Todd nervously held up a finger to speak, "But Shade, that's what the laws are for! We have to respect them, even if we don't want to obey them!"

"And you can't be outside when the sun comes up!" Breeze added her two cents as well, "The owls will kill you for sure!"

While he wouldn't say it just yet, Zak had to agree with the two. He knew enough from his friends in the shelter not to test his luck against the law, no matter if he was human before or not. He looked back to Shade before he uttered, "Hey, wait, think about this carefully. Whatever this is suddenly about? Just leave it, okay? It's not worth it. Let's just forget this ever happened and head back to your colony, yeah? Sound good?"

He knew what Shade was trying to do. But he just wanted to make sure that the teen knew about the possible consequences of his plan. But Shade only gave him the briefest glance, steeled himself and added a few more words. Zak's request went unheeded.

"You don't believe me, Chinook? Then why don't you join me and my new friend to watch the sunrise?" He smirked while patting Zak's shoulder, confident that he wouldn't back out on him. And he was correct.

The older male just looked at Shade would a slight expression of betrayal, "That just isn't fair, Shade." He whispered out, but the Silverwing seemed adamant about his decision.

He could not believe he got roped into his scheme. He just glanced back at the other three teens. Chinook looked like he was thinking over what he wanted to do, meanwhile Todd and Breeze just looked at one another and then back to them. Eventually, Todd sighed, "Look, guys, it's already morning. We should really get back home while we still have enough night." With that, the chubby Silverwing took off back towards the lake.

"I'm with you, Todd." Breeze chirped as she followed after him. Now it was just Shade, Chinook and Zak left standing on the branch. It seemed Chinook had made his decision when he didn't leave with the others. He just looked at the two, then around him, before idly wringing his hands together.

"So...? What do we do? Just, I don't know, hang out?" He questioned, then focusing on the Greywing, "Jak? Any ideas?"

"It's Zak, not Jak," He rebuffed bluntly, but he shrugged and shook his head, "And don't ask me, I'm not the one who planned for any of this." He gave a half sideways, half downwards glance at Shade who still wore a smug grin on his face despite the look he was given.

"I was thinking we could all go up higher. Get a better view, y'know?" He smiled before flapping up and away to the uppermost branches.

Chinook looked slightly taken aback from the suggestion. Again, he looked back to Zak who only shrugged and followed after the teen. The dark navy Silverwing just grimaced and trailed behind them. It wasn't a very far flight, only a few wingbeats from where they had been standing before. Already Shade was roosted upside down and facing where the steadily growing glow of the early more sun was coming from. Zak had to admit, wherever it was that he ended up, the mountain ranges ahead looked beautiful. It reminded him of the pictures he would see online or in travel brochures. He had never been to those places before, never really travelling much outside of his hometown. While the pictures were nice, nothing beat the real thing right in front of him. For a moment he remained rightside up, just to admire the scenery.

"Wow. Talk about a great view." He whispered more to himself then the two teens.

Down below him, Chinook was growing more antsy as they all sat, or rather hung, there while the sky steadily grew brighter. He was convinced that just seeing the glow of the sun was good enough, but Shade had merely responded that it was just the pre-glow. Then the conversation evolved into Chinook trying to bargain with the shorter teen that they should just head back to Tree Haven and fib to everyone that they saw the sun. And he had also brought up the hope that there weren't any owls nearby while they were still there. But, yet again, the blonde Silverwing just grinned triumphantly that he was getting under his bully's skin. Already, Chinook was starting to shiver and anxiously look at the horizon and his surroundings. Until finally, his nerves got the better of him and he took off with a frightened whimper. Shade's grin only grew as he turned back to look at the glow of the sunrise. Zak carefully hung down next to him while looking off to where Chinook had fled.

"Well, you won after all, Shade," He said in mild surprise, "Now would be a good time for us to get going too. I don't want to be out here when the birds start waking up." He waited for a response, but got none. The young adult turned and realized that the Silverwing was absolutely lost in the beauty of the sunlight's glow, "Hey. Shade. C'mon, we really need to go!" He said with more urgency, shaking the teen's shoulder lightly.

"Just a little longer," The teen replied, a small and soft smile locked on his face, "It's almost there."

Zak just stayed rooted to his spot. As much as he wanted to book it back towards Tree Haven like Chinook had done, there was no way he was going to leave Shade by himself. So, he watched with him. Ever so slowly, the sunlight has reached the very top of the mountains and began to bathe the land below with its magnificence. The Greywing only winced and needed to close his eyes for a moment before looking at the sun again. But for Shade, having lived most of his life in the night hid behind his wings and hissed briefly from the piercing light. But after a few seconds, he was looking back at it with a whole new sense of wonder. There it was. The sun. He was actually looking at it. And it was...beautiful. It felt so warm on his fur.

Meanwhile, the Greywing was also entranced at the sight, giving a slight smile to know that this was the first ever opportunity for Shade. Even if it meant they got in trouble for it. They would just need to be careful when they finally left for Tree Haven.

**_Danger..._**

Suddenly, Zak was overcome with an odd sensation in his body. It felt like entire being was suddenly becoming far more alert then normal. As if every nerve in his body had gone into hyper mode.

**_Danger..._**

His pupils grew until they almost overtook the entirety of the iris, leaving only small slivers of his orange brown eyes visible. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He wanted to blink. But his eyes refused to close, even when the sunlight he was directly staring at started to burn. He didn't know what was going on. There was a tingle right in the center of his back now. It was intensifying to the point it felt like a bug was wriggling on that very spot.

**_Danger!_**

He blinked, his pupils shrinking down to pinpricks as an intense ringing started in his ears. But, also, images started flashing in his mind. He saw huge razor sharp talons. Massive feathered wings. A large curved beak opened wide as if to strike. Then a distorted cry that sounded a lot like...a bird's.

No. Something bigger.

He had to move.

Now.

Without giving a warning, Zak quickly grabbed Shade, hard enough it took his feet right off the branch, and kicked off into the open air. As soon as they had abandoned the branch, something huge slammed into it, turning it into wooden splinters. The Greywing only had a moment to get a glimpse of what had caused the damage as he and the Silverwing plummeted to the forest floor below. He saw wings. Huge wings. And the talons he recognized instantly. His heart sank when he heard a piercing screech cut through the morning air.

It was an owl.

And it looked pissed.


	3. Settling In & Sharing Stories

**Chapter 2: Settling In & Sharing Stories**

Shade screamed as he and Zak fell to the forest floor below. Not just from the fear of falling but also from the terrifying sight of the owl pursuing them. The Greywing quickly let go of his friend, opening his wings to immediately slow his fall as Shade did the same. Then, with as much force and urgency he could muster in the moment, Zak screamed out at the top of his lungs. "Flyyyyy!"

The smaller Silverwing didn't need to be told twice, the owl's terrifying screech was motivation enough to get as far away from it as possible. Now, the chase was on.

The Greywing was pumping his wings as fast as they could carry him, despite the panic he was feeling he still had enough coherent thought to try and weave through trees to try and break the owl's line of sight. But the gigantic bird's equally large wings made it difficult to try to out fly it. Just a single pump of its own wings carried ever closer towards the pair. Any closer and they were done for. The entire time, Shade was doing the best he could at flying the fastest he could go, but already he was beginning to tire out. Even Zak could see the difference in how the other flapped their wings. The Silverwing was flapping them much faster then normal, and he was hyperventilating from the exertion.  
He had to come up with a plan, and fast. If he didn't, the two of them would either be kidnapped by this owl, or worse, killed.

"Shade!" He yelled to the teenager, "We need to split up! You go right and I'll go left! I'll see if I can distract it! Go!" He suddenly changed direction and flew skyward, before turning as best as he could before flying right back at the owl. It was a risky move, but he could think of no other option. But thankfully, it took the feathered terror by surprise as it squawked in alarm, breaking as the Greywing swooped down and past its face, "Come on! You want me?! Huh?! Then catch me if you can!" He shouted, antagonizing his opponent before taking off in the other direction.

Shade had stopped further ahead, watching as the owl turned around and followed after the Greywing. He leaned back against the bark and put a hand to his chest to steady his breathing. He had never flown so fast in his life before. He carefully peeked around from his spot to make sure that the coast was clear. No owl. Nothing. It seemed safe, but...what about Zak? He was taking a huge risk just so the teen could get a chance to escape. He was risking his own life for Nocturna's sake!  
Shade carefully thought over what he wanted to do. Should he take the chance and head on back to Tree Haven? No, that didn't sound good. He felt like he would be abandoning his new friend to a gruesome fate if he did that.

The Silverwing took a few deep breaths, steadying his heart further before he clenched his fists. He looked back to where Zak had flown off to with a fire in his eyes. He knew what he had to do.

_'Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap! Crap! What the hell was I thinking?!'_

Zak frantically ducked and dodged past branches to the best of his flying abilities, still trying to throw the owl off of his trail. He spotted an old fallen log and took a gamble by flying straight on through it. Thankfully his path was clear, but the owl simply smashed it's clawed feet through the old rotting bark, two strikes failing to hit him. But the third was way too close for comfort and just barely grazed the Greywing's foot, making the male let out a brief scream of fear.

"Oh shit!" He cursed, glancing back yet again, just in time to see the owl take a different approach and began to follow him off from the side. Now both creatures were eyeing each other through passing trees. The owl just narrowed it's piercing orange eyes down at the Greywing as he kept pace.

It wasn't about to lose this meddlesome bat. Truthfully, they were amazed he even managed to survive this long. No bat had ever escaped an owl before. And today wasn't going to be one of those days. They kept their eyes locked on their prey as he tried maneuvering again to lose them. The owl just grinned as they prepared to strike, looking away for only the briefest of moments to make sure they didn't fly into a tree or a branch. But when they turned back, they were shocked to see that the Greywing had disappeared. They didn't see them turn another direction. They couldn't have lost him that easily.

Unknown to the owl, Zak was actually still close by, but he had wound up flying straight into a bush; stopping himself dead on the spot. Luckily, he wasn't injured in the slightest. But on the other hand...he was stuck. The way he had flown into the little branches, he somehow got himself tangled and couldn't get loose. He could only grunt as he wriggled about, making a slight ruckus as the twigs rustled together. He could hear the owl still flying about, searching for him.

_'I need to get out of here. Right now.'_ The Greywing thought as he pulled at the branches and managed to get himself partially loose. But the bottom most part of his left wing was caught on a broken and sharp part. Zak desperately tugged and pulled on it like it was just a piece of clothing caught in a doorway, constantly looking to where the owl was patrolling and back to where his wing was stuck. When it still didn't budge, he planted his feet firmly onto a tougher branch below him and pulled with all the strength he could muster.

_Shhhrip!_

**"Agh!"**

Zak finally got free, but it came at the cost of ripping a small section of his wing membrane. And it hurt like hell.

But more unfortunately, the owl had heard him. Now it had its sights locked on him once more. Despite the burning pain, he kicked off the ground and started to fly again. Only this time, he was pushing himself to the limit to get away. Though his arms were beginning to grow tired and sore, and his lungs felt like they were going to burst as he raced through the forest; the primal feeling of survival was forcing him to keep going. He would escape and live. Or die trying. But as the owl began to close in, preparing its talons to grab them in their deadly embrace, Zak was starting to think that, at the very least, he _tried_ to escape. He could see the lake coming ahead of him, only a few trees left before he was in open air. He would get one last look of the morning sky before death.

He prepared to glance back to look at the owl one more time, but as he did, he caught sight of something he never expected to see.

Time felt like it slowed as he spotted Shade, of all mammals, hidden right behind the very last tree on the shoreline. But he was hovering on the spot, a look of great physical strain on his face as he held onto a smaller branch in his foot claws. While it was small, the branch itself still had enough thickness to stay sturdy even as it was being pulled back with all the teen's strength and wing power. The Silverwing let go of the branch right as Zak passed him, and the limb whistled past the tops of his rounded ears as it recoiled. The owl only gave the briefest looks of total surprise as it spotted the branch too late.

With a pained cry, the owl was sent falling to the ground as the branch swatted them right out the air, leaving only a few stray feathers floating where it had been a second before.

"Hurry! This way!" Shade shouted as he managed to get ahead of the Greywing. With renewed strength, and partially due to a whole new rush of adrenaline, Zak kept up with the little bat.

Looking behind them to make sure that there were no other owls following, the pair made their way towards a large and ancient looking tree nestled atop its own little island in the center of the lake. Tree Haven. No doubt the home of the Silverwings. They flew in through one of the entryways and collapsed onto themselves from exhaustion. Shade dropped to his hands and knees, while Zak just rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, both gasping for air as the adrenaline wore off from the chase. A moment of quiet passed before the Greywing broke it first by chuckling weakly. It was just a little chuckle at first, but then it turned into a breathless laugh as he turned to Shade and smiled. The Silverwing could not help but do the same, giggling tiredly as it slowly set in that the two of them had escaped. Just barely. But it felt like the most exhilarating thing in the world to have made it back to Tree Haven in one piece. And it seemed like no one would actually find out about it!

"Shade!" A male's voice suddenly jolted them out of their stupor, their tone heavy with worried relief, "There you are!"

Shade immediately sat up straight and looked up with surprise and worry. While Zak just sluggishly turned his head up against the floor to peer at who it was. Even though he was upside down, he could make out dark green fur and head of black hair. This wasn't a Silverwing, clearly, but he didn't think anything of it as the male rushed over and began to check on the smaller Silverwing in front of him. Muttering quietly as he seemed to be looking for any sign of injury.

"No injuries. Good. Good, good, not a mark on you," The male sighed, before immediately looking Shade right in the eye, "Where have you been, Shade? I saw Chinook come back first and he said you stayed out see the sunrise! I didn't want to believe it at first, I thought he was just pulling my wing! I wanted to go out and look for you, but Ariel didn't want to risk me getting caught out in daylight! What happened?"

"Bartho, could you please relax?" Shade moaned in mild annoyance, "I'm fine, aren't I? You don't have to worry about me like this all the time! And, please, I wasn't in any real danger! Zak here risked his life to try and save me from the owl that was-!" He froze and cringed, "I mean...ah geez."

Zak had turned himself over and watched as Bartho's eyes widened from the info that slipped out. He seemed almost livid now.

"_An owl saw you?!_ Shade, do you even realize how lucky you are to be alive?!"

Shade just winced at the reaction, ears folding back shamefully as he uttered, "I-I got away, right? I mean _we _got away! And we would never be standing here now if he didn't help." But his child-like worry of getting in trouble grew when the Greenwing stood up and cradled his head in his hands and groaned.

"I don't think you're really grasping the issue here, Shade," He breathed through his teeth as he tried to calm himself, "You went and broke one of our oldest laws ever. You were seen in daylight! And for what? Were you trying to show up Chinook? I thought I talked to you about that, didn't I? How do you think Ariel would feel if she had lost you? What am I supposed to tell her if that happened? What am I supposed to tell her now?"

"You won't have to tell me anything."

A stern yet soft voice made all three males freeze. Standing not too far behind Bartho was a female. This must've been the Ariel the Greenwing was talking about. Her fur was a purple blue color, while her wings were a darker shade. But what really drew Zak's attention to her was her hair and mane. Around near her face was a dark orange, but the rest of it was a lighter tone, almost like Shade's hair but just a smidge darker. She came over and just like Bartho had done before, she checked him over herself, before wrapping him into a hug.

"My son, I'm so glad you're safe," Ariel whispered, a warm smile on her face before it slowly melted away into a worried frown, "Did I hear Bartho correctly? Did you really stay out until sunrise?" She questioned, already knowing her answer but wanting her own son to admit to it. But like any teen would probably do when they were caught doing something they really shouldn't have, Shade didn't give an immediate response. The only thing he did was open and close his mouth, unable to form the words, and glancing away and back to her again. The guilty look in his eyes said it all. His mother just closed her eyes and gave a sound that felt like a mix of disappointment and dread.

"Oh, Shade Cassiel Silverwing. What in the world have you done?"

It was then that Zak and Shade realized that they weren't exactly alone. While it had been silent before, they could no hear the hushed whispers of hundreds of other voices coming from above them. The Greywing suddenly felt smaller when he saw a lot more eyes looking down upon them. There were murmurs of shock and mutters of bafflement at the knowledge that Shade, and technically he too, had seen the sun. Amongst these new faces was Chinook. Who immediately looked away when the Greywing made eye contact with him. But at that moment, two sets of wingbeats drew his attention. He immediately recognized Todd and Breeze as they fluttered over, excited and expectant looks on their faces aside from what had just happened.

"You are in some deep, and I mean deep, trouble," The chubby Silverwing grinned, though it wasn't known if he was telling that to both Zak _and_ Shade, or just Shade, "Chinook's going to be grounded for a whole week!"

Zak tilted his head at that, looking at Todd with confusion, "What? What's he in trouble for? I thought he came back before the sun even came out."

"Yeah, he didn't do anything," Shade added, before whispering discreetly, "The big mouse."

Breeze just gave a smile at the Greywing as she replied, "Not fast enough, really. His mom always wants him back while the sky is still dark. But, nevermind that, did you guys see it? The...you know." She asked with a knowing smile. But before Zak could give her an answer, a rather stern middle-aged voice had called for Todd. It had to be his mother, mostly because she had a similar short height and was soft-looking like he was. She just gave him the 'stern mom' look and pointed upwards, two other adult females appeared with different shades of color, and thinner, while Todd and Breeze quickly obeyed their mothers and left. Soon, the females were all talking to Ariel, only disappointed and protective words were exchanged about how what Shade had done was on a whole other level of wrong. But during that, the Greenwing sauntered over to Zak and offered a hand to him, which he gladly took and was helped up onto his feet.

"You alright?" He asked, his voice was gentle and mature sounding for his age, "I'm sorry you got dragged into all of this. I always tried talking some sense into Shade, and Chinook, when things like this happen. The bullying, I mean, not the whole you two seeing the sun situation." He then added with a little smile, "I'm Bartho, by the way. Bartho Greenwing. I've never seen you before. Did you get lost from your colony? Or...I'm not assuming, but, maybe kicked out?"

Zak just gave a little chuckle at that, "Name's Zak. Greywing. And no, no, I wasn't kicked out. And I didn't get lost, I can tell you that for sure. I'm actually on my own by choice. I just happened to be in the area when I met up with Shade here. And, please, don't apologize. I'm pretty sure its my own fault, but there was no way I was going to leave him out there by himself." He said, glancing over to Shade who was grinning and muttering something for a moment before Ariel sharply turned to him. She then pointed up and Shade took flight with a pout on his face. Soon after he left, she turned and looked right at Zak.

"You're hurt," She said, her voice full of motherly concern when she spotted the tear in his wing, "What did you do to make that happen?"

"I, uhh, I got stuck in a bush when Shade and I were trying to get away from the owl chasing us," He spoke honestly, having been raised not to tell lies by his parents, "See I just wanted to help your son get back here safe. So I, well, I sort of...got the owl to chase me so he would have a chance to get away." He winced when the adult looked absolutely shocked, as did Bartho, from hearing that. He inhaled through his teeth as he shrugged, "Probably not the best decision, yeah. But, like I said, I was trying to help Shade to get a head start and get to safety. But...he came back to help me. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even be standing here right now." With those words, Ariel and Bartho's faces relaxed, and the mother now had a solemn but warm smile as she sighed.

"He's just like his father. Brave. But also a little foolish." She said, carefully looking over the small tear in Zak's wing, glancing at him when he gasped in pain when she touched or moved the slightly bleeding wound, "You're very lucky you didn't rip it any further. Otherwise you never would've been able to fly at all. Come with me, we'll get you something to help it heal faster."

And so, Ariel took to the air, as did Bartho to follow behind her. Even though his wing stung something fierce when he moved it, Zak was still able to take flight and follow after them. As they ascended, the Greywing got a good proper look at the many roosts inside this massive tree. Obviously, a lot of Silverwings were resting, most of which were looking at him as he flew past. It made him a little shy and nervous, but he just looked in the direction he was going.  
But he had to admit that the entire colony itself was amazing. Looking at how smooth the wooden walls were, he had to guess that this was the Silverwings home for many years, steadily carving it out over time until it was perfect. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Bartho had called his name. They had reached the roost they were looking for. It wasn't much to look at, it was a chamber that had been carved out into the wood of the tree, but it was spacious and seemed to have some herbs stacked on one side of the room.  
And on the other side there were a couple of other Silverwings. One was roosted, another teenager, and the second had to have been a nurse as they were checking them over. Judging by the sniffles the other bat was making, they must've had a cold. The nurse, meanwhile, stood up and turned to face the newcomers. She had fiery red hair that had several braided strands in it, sky blue fur and a dark brown mane, plus piercing green eyes with a hint of golden brown rimmed around her pupils.

"Ariel, nice to see you again," She said in a welcoming tone, "What's the problem? Shade get another scrape from flying?"

The mother just shook her head with a slightly amused grin, "No, Aloy, nothing like that this time. We have a newcomer in our colony with a wing injury. I'm sorry, I didn't ask you your name earlier." Ariel turned to the Greywing.

"It's alright, with everything that's going on I don't blame you. My name's Zak. And you are?"

"Ariel, pleasure to meet you." The adult smiled before turning back to the nurse, "Could you look at his wing? He said he got it caught when trying to...well. I'll tell you another time."

The flame haired adult rubbed her hands together with anticipation, "Wing injury? No problem, so long as his arm's not falling off, I can fix it up in a wingbeat." She chuckled as she then took a careful look at the tear in Zak's wing. She hummed thoughtfully as she examined it, gently taking the membrane in her hands and inspecting it closer. "Huh, surprisingly clean tear. So you got it caught? In what, exactly?" She asked, looking up at the Greywing and back down at his wing. She was about the same height at him, probably around his age too, maybe older.

"I was flying and ended flying right into a bush near the forest floor. There were no thorns, thankfully, but I did get it caught on a broken branch trying to free myself." The young adult explained, the female nodding and scrutinizing the wound more.

"Hmm. Must've been trying to escape from something if you went and tore it rather then calmly loosen it without injury." Aloy guessed, making Zak tighten his lips and give a small confirming shrug, "But I don't blame you, it's not easy trying to get out of a tough spot when you're a bat. I mean, look at me!" She then held up one of her own wings, showing off several healed up tears and cuts in her membrane, "Thorn bushes and broken branches, the bane of our existence." She laughed in good fun before she went and grabbed what looked like a package made out of strands of bark and leaves. Unwrapping it, it revealed a rose red mush inside as she gestured for Zak to follow her to one of the vacant roosting spots in the chamber, "Here, I just need you to lay down flat on your back for this, if you don't mind." She asked, kneeling down onto the floor as the Greywing obeyed and laid down, instinctively laying his left wing out onto the floor.  
Aloy then took a small handful of the paste and began to rub and spread it onto the tear, "This salve here will help your wing get back into proper working order. Now, just to let you know, you might have a little notch at the bottom of your wing where the tear ended. And a bit of a scar. But, good news, you'll be able to fly without any pain in just a few hours. But for the day, I suggest you have your rest here until your wing heals."

Zak just nodded in agreement, ready to voice it as well but instead a yawn escaped him. He didn't realize how tired he really felt. But with the adrenaline wearing off from the intense chase with the owl earlier, his body was finally slowing down and relaxing. All it took was for him to close his eyes and he was out. Ariel and Bartho watched from afar, the mother smiling softly before the two of them went back to their own roost. They were in need of rest, as well. It had been a very eventful day for them all.  
While they flew, Ariel was thinking about Zak's words about her son. He risked his own life just to make sure Shade would be able to escape. Even if it possibly meant the Greywing would pay the ultimate price. Nobody, as far as she knew, nobody would ever put their lives on the line for him like this. Not only that, but the fact that Shade had willingly gone back to help him in return? It made her feel proud of her son that he would help a total stranger like he did. And very thankful to Zak for trying to give him a chance to escape. She was going to have a talk with Shade about what he had done, though, with staying out until daylight.

He was going to be grounded for awhile.

**Meanwhile, outside of Tree Haven...**

The forest was alive with daylight activity, birds tweeting and chirping about as they went through their daily routines. Look for food. Build up their nests for the winter season, and so on. Even the insects were preparing, a line of ants marching along the forest floor as each one carried it's own load of food back to their own colony. They were taking their usual route, though it had changed very recently. One moment they were trudging across moist soil from the morning dew soaking into it, then the next, they were walking across a more shiny and strangely thin ground. Unaware what they were walking across. But to any birds normal eye, one could see what it was.

An owl's wing. And the owner of that wing was slowly stirring awake after having been knocked out for a good hour or so. With a groan of pain, the grey owl carefully turned themselves over until they could stand up on their feet. Their chest ached something fierce as they clenched their eyes shut.

"Agh...damn..." The owl groaned, bringing their wings close to their midsection and glancing around the forest. They didn't see any bats. That much was for certain. But they still clearly remember who they were chasing. A Silverwing. And a Greywing. They hissed in both pain and anger at the memory of being outsmarted by the two flying rodents. They looked up and spotted the branch that swatted it out of the air. A bit of feather fluff was stuck to it. They scowled, and then brought their gaze down towards where Tree Haven sat.

Their glare intensified at the Silverwing's home. Somewhere in there, were the two bats that saw the sun. Breaking an ancient law established eons ago by their ancestors. The owl knew it had to return to it's home. Report to the general about the lawbreakers. With slight strain, they took to the air and began to fly in the opposite direction of Tree Haven. It would take the whole day due to it's injury, but the owl would make sure that it would make it home regardless.

**Later that night...**

"Is he the one that was with Shade yesterday? He smells kinda funny."

"You mean the lawbreaker? My mommy says not to talk to him or look at him."

"Yeah, but he saw the sun! That's so cool! But no, I didn't mean Shade smells funny, I meant him! He doesn't smell like the forest. Or anything like that."

Tiny voices were whispering around him. They sounded...like little kids. Two of them. Must've been the younger pups in the colony

"See his wing? How did it get ripped? It looks kinda cool."

"Hey! He moved!"

Zak groaned tiredly and itched at his nose, letting his arm drop back onto the floor as he wanted to try and keep sleeping. But the whispering continued.

"Poke him."

"No, you poke him! You wanted to see him!"

"No, you! Don't be a sissy! Do it before the nurse comes back!"

"Could you keep it down? Please? I'm trying to sleep here." The Greywing stirred, making the voices fall silent as he turned over on his side with his back facing the voices and let out a deep yawn, licking and smacking his lips as he prepared to doze off again. Unfortunately, it seemed that the pups who were watching and talking about him were more bold and brave then he realized. He heard a few small steps come closer. Then a little hand taking hold of his ear.

Then the pup gave it a good hard pull.

"_Ooow!_" He cried out, then giving his head a shake to loosen the pup's grip, and then sitting straight up and glaring at the two younglings, "What's the big idea?!"

The pups only screamed and giggled as they flew up and out into the main roost area. He just stared out at where they left with a perplexed and partially sleepy face. He just shook his head and sighed. Well, he was awake now, he thought. He remembered the salve on his wing and quickly checked to see if it had worked as the nurse said it would. It had dried up through the day, becoming flaky and crumbling whenever he moved it. All he had to do was brush away the salve to reveal the wound underneath. To his amazement and relief, it had worked.  
Like Aloy said, there was a scar where the tear had been before. Plus, he had a new notch on his wing, a tiny gap where it had healed up to. But that didn't bother him in the slightest. As long as he could still fly, that was just fine with him. He figured he should at least stay and wait until she got back, just so that she could see and verify that he was good to go. But then the growling of his stomach got his attention. The Greywing gave his middle a light pat and figured that, maybe, he was free to go.  
After all, his wing was healed up nicely.

With renewed strength for the night, Zak walked to the edge of the platform and peered down to the bottom of Tree Haven. Were he still human the mere sight of how high it looked would have made him dizzy. But ever since he became a bat, the fear of heights seemed non-existent now. Then he looked up and spotted the large open passage way leading into the night sky. Spreading his wings, testing his left first just to double check that it was in good condition, he took flight.

Flying in a slow spiral, the young adult made his way up higher and higher until he could smell and feel the fresh air. He exited Tree Haven with a sigh of content as he looked about his surroundings. It was there that he realized it wasn't actually a lake he had been looking at before, but rather a small coast that led out into the open ocean. Wherever he was, he was much farther from home then he expected. But he didn't mind in the slightest. He wasn't sure how long exactly he was going to remain a bat, that part Nocturna had left out when she had spoken to him just before his transformation. But he figured he might as well enjoy it while there was peace. Now, it was time for him to catch himself some breakfast.

There were more Silverwings about now, so he knew he'd better get a move on to find the best catches and prep for the winter.

Firstly, before catching his food, Zak felt the need to wash up first and wake up a little more. He had stopped by a small river of freshwater to get himself what he needed, resting on a rock that was near the river's edge. But unknown to him, a couple of adult females were roosting nearby and were watching him curiously, along with their young pups clinging to their respective manes, whispering to one another when the Greywing used his hands to get a drink. They had never seen a bat drink like that before. Why didn't he fly over and let it splash into his mouth like they did?  
And wasn't it dangerous to touch the ground? They hushed when he turned around, as if looking to see if anyone was nearby, before he knelt down and got another scoop of water. This time splashing it onto his face and rubbing his hands into his fur to wash off. At that, the females just gave each other funny looks. Why use water when you could just lick yourself clean? A good spitwash did wonders. The pups, meanwhile, just nuzzled into the warm fur of their mothers to nap. Not caring about the odd bat in the slightest.

Next, he was pursuing another juicy looking tiger moth. He was snapping up mosquitoes and beetles earlier before, but he caught sight of this plump morsel only moments ago. This time he had more energy after a good day's sleep, so chasing after the insect wasn't as difficult as before. He passed by a few teenagers, among them was Todd and Breeze, who watched him intently. Word had been travelling fast about the lone Greywing staying in Tree Haven.  
Not only that, but also about how he had escaped an owl with Shade Silverwing. And supposedly, he just barely got away judging by the scar they glimpsed on his wing.  
Ever so silently, the teens followed Zak from above as he kept up with the moth. They were all chattering to each other on whether he was going to catch it or fail. Everybody knew that tiger moths were difficult to catch because of their ability to create echo projections, copies of itself to throw bats off.  
So, they were all eager and curious to see how this newcomer would do. But as they watched, Zak was closing the distance to the moth. And fast. The bright orange insect suddenly stopped in place and began to use its special ability, numerous copies began to form out of sound and spread out around it. The Silverwings watched in excitement, wondering if the Greywing would know exactly which moth to grab for.  
But unknown to them, while they saw numerous moths fluttering about, Zak only saw one single moth. He had no idea that it was creating projections and swooped right down onto the juicy bug itself.

Todd, Breeze and the other Silverwings were baffled. How was he able to track down the real moth so quickly? There was a bunch of them flying about and he just flew straight on through them without hesitating!  
But, in all honesty, while it perplexed them; there was no denying that it was impressive. There was something about this Greywing that seemed interesting, both in a weird but amazing sense. Todd and Breeze looked at one another for a brief moment before they took to the sky.

Zak chuckled to himself as he looked over the moth squirming in his hands. It was almost too easy catching these little guys, he thought. Shade said something about echo projections the insect could use but he didn't notice anything. He didn't want to brag, but, perhaps his senses were so much acute that he could only see the real moth. That had to be a thing, right? No, that couldn't be right. The Greywing knew for sure that while his hearing was drastically increased and his eyesight was sharper, there was no way his other senses would have increased so dramatically.  
Firstly, his sense of smell felt the same. He knew some animals had enhanced smell, letting them track food and prey for miles, but he didn't notice any difference. Second...he didn't notice anything else. Was there a possibility he just couldn't see echo projections? He popped the tiger moth into his mouth and began to idly crunch on it.

"That was amazing!" Breeze's voice suddenly chirped from above him. The surprise caused Zak to sharply inhale and send the chewed up moth down the wrong pipe.

The second he started gasping and gagging, both she and Todd recoiled with worry as the Greywing frantically slapped the back of his head and then beat his fists into his gut, trying to dislodge the blockage in his throat. After a few heart racing seconds, at least for him, Zak coughed up the moth mush.

After coughing up any last remains of the moth, the male glanced up at the two with slightly teary eyes and wheezed out, "Could at least...give a guy a warning? Or at least let me see you coming?"

"Sorry about that," Todd sheepishly rubbed the top of his wrist, "We didn't mean to surprise you. But, we just wanted to come and see you and say that that was incredible. With the moth?"

"Yeah, we've never seen anyone single out the real moth so fast!" Breeze beamed, looking at Zak with great admiration, "It's like you could just _see_ that the echo projections weren't the real thing! How did you do that?"

Hearing such praise from them felt nice, Zak noticed, though it did make him a little bashful when he was complimented on something. But he was a modest guy and he didn't want to lie.

"Well, honestly, you guys? All I saw was the one moth, that was it," He shrugged, "I didn't see any of the projections that Shade was talking about. Was I supposed to see them?" Hearing that, both teens seemed surprised.

"You didn't see the echo projections? All us bats can see them and it makes it more challenging to catch them." Breeze seemed genuinely confused. Even Todd.

"I mean, not that there's anything wrong with that, but," The chubby male fiddled with his thumbs for a moment, "Are you not able to see them? Like, at all?"

The way they asked those questions made the Greywing feel odd. Did it really matter if he couldn't see echo projections? Todd and Breeze seemed a _little_ weirded out by it, but not enough that they didn't want to hang out with him. In fact, they still seemed curious and genuinely wanted to be with him. Unlike the other younglings, who stayed a distance away, watching them.  
So, again, Zak answered truthfully. He explained that, no, he couldn't see the echo projections the moth used. It wasn't a problem for him if he couldn't see them. Though it did seem weird that while other bats could see and were aware of the echo projections, why was Zak not able to? Eventually, the two bats settled down with the questions and conversations, accepting that while their new visitor was a little different from them; he wasn't a bad guy.

It was then that Breeze suddenly perked up, "Hey, I was just thinking, can you tell us how you and Shade managed to escape that owl? Please? We've only heard bits and pieces here and there, but we want to hear right from the bat who experienced it all himself. If that's alright with you, of course."

"Yeah! Hearing the real story is much better then just half-truth and half-lie versions on it." Todd concurred.

Zak only smiled at the pair before he stood up to ready his wings, "Heh, sure, I don't mind. But maybe we can talk while we fly? We can do some hunting while I tell you both the story."

At that moment, the Greywing also remembered how Nuri told him that bats would need to eat as much as they can to get prepped for winter and migration. So he figured he might as well try and bulk up for the winter months.

**Back at Tree Haven...**

Shade was bored. He was at his mother's roost, idly swinging forward and back from where he was hanging to keep himself busy. After the debacle that was him seeing the sun and nearly getting killed by an owl, he had been grounded for an entire month. Which meant no flying on his own aside from inside Tree Haven where Ariel knew he would be safe. And wouldn't try to wander off. He wasn't about to rebel against his mother. Well, technically he did rebel once already, but so far nothing bad had come from it. At least as far as he knew. The rest of the colony was still whispering here and there about what he had done. But there was also mixed chatter about his new friend, Zak. Most of the colony members found it odd that a single lone Greywing was out by himself and not with the rest of his colony. But there were a few rare praising comments about him. Mainly about how he had risked his life to give Shade the chance to escape on his own.  
Some thought it was brave, but that was coming from most of the younger females, mostly teenagers. The rest said it was foolish to even think about trying to distract the owl. Shade stopped listening, knowing they were going to whisper that Zak should have just flew away when he had the chance.

"Hungry, Shade?" Bartho's voice appeared next to him. The Greenwing had a beetle held in his claws, offering it to the Silverwing, "I thought I could help Ariel with the hunting. Considering you're, well, grounded for the next few weeks."

"I caught a couple moths here, too!" Another slightly younger sounding voice chimed in, a blue-ish grey Silverwing came and roosted on the opposite side of Shade. He had a similar soft build like Todd, but he wasn't as short and stubby. He almost had Chinook's size albeit much softer and cuddly-looking. He also had a couple of small scars on the left side of his face. One along the side of the topmost area of his muzzle and another along his cheek. He gave a smile as he held on the moths out to the blonde, "Care for a moth, little bro'?"

"Ah, no, but thanks, Ben. Bartho. You guys have your catches." Shade politely declined, "Did you guys happen to see Zak anywhere? I went up to the healing roost so visit him, but he was gone. He didn't...leave, did he?" He felt a slight sense of dread at the thought that the Greywing had only stayed the one night and had moved on.

"Zak?" Ben muffled out curiously, having been busy eating on the moths he had caught before swallowing to speak more clearly, "Wait, isn't he that Greywing everyone's been talking about? The one who saved you from the owl? Oh, and, I do believe he saw the sun along with you, right?" He added with a bit of a knowing grin, which then faded as he shrugged, "I'm sorry, but I haven't actually met him myself just yet. So...I don't know where he is." Shade's face fell into disappointment. That was until Bartho made a noise to grab both teens attention.

"Actually, he's just out hunting. I saw him talking to Todd and Breeze before I came back," The Greenwing replied, licking his lips clean of any stray beetle juice, "He seems to be fitting in well with the others. It doesn't look like he's having any issues. And, surprisingly, Chinook has been pretty quiet since last night too. I wonder why, really." He fixed a stern and knowing gaze at Shade, "And I don't mean about scaring him off by trying to have him see the sun. What happened before then, Shade? You didn't get into a fight with him, did you?"

The blonde Silverwing rolled his eyes and groaned, "Ugh, no, Bartho! I didn't start a fight with Chinook! At least not this time. You're worse than Mom, you know that?"

"That's what makes him an amazing old brother, though!" Ben smiled, "One that's like the secondary mother of our family when she's not here."

"Hey, c'mon, I just worry about you guys," Bartho huffed with slight embarrassment from the comment, "I don't want the two of you having to deal with anything like what Chinook does."

"He's never bothered me, really. I think Chinook is more nervous of you, Bartho." Ben added as he ate the other moth.

"What's to be nervous about? All I do is talk to him and make sure that there's no other issues with him and Shade. It works"

"Most of the time it works," Shade scoffed, "And that's all you ever do! You only talk him to him and nothing more! And every single time after, Chinook comes back to mock me for my size and about my dad!" Frustration was clear in the teen's voice, a tone that wasn't easily missed from Ben and Bartho. But Shade sighed as he calmed down, "I know and understand you're more of a pacifist, Bartho. You use words more then actions to get your point across. But Zak? You guys should have seen him when I first met him. He stood up to Chinook like nobody ever did before!"

"Well, tell us, Shade;" Ben urged, moving closer to his half sibling, "I'd like to know a little more about this new friend of yours. And how you guys managed to escape the owl in the first place, I want to know that especially."

So, Shade did just that. He told both his brothers about how Zak had defended him but also protected him against Chinook when he was being bullied. While Bartho was a little worried about how the Greywing had handled things, he felt some relief that it didn't escalate further. Ben was much more impressed and happy that the newcomer was such a good guy. Anyone who willingly protected Shade was alright with him. Though Bartho couldn't help but feel a _tiny_ notion of jealousy for Zak. The only reason being that for years, as far as he can remember, he and Shade were very close since they were only pups. He practically knew the tiny Silverwing since he was born, and ever since he always looked up to the Greenwing with admiration and for guidance. And with how his fathers raised him, he always helped Ariel with taking care of Shade, practically becoming an older brother to him. The same went for Ben after Ariel adopted him, too. Now he had two younger brothers to look after and love. Yet it seemed like the both of them were becoming more impressed by someone they've only known for one night.  
But, he put those thoughts away, feeling foolish for even thinking of being jealous. Bartho did feel happy for Shade for making a new friend. He did. It just felt a little...different, now that the smaller Silverwing had a new face to admire. Especially if it was someone who was far braver and mature. The Greenwing figured that Zak was older then he was, maybe by a couple years. No wonder he was much more amazed and excited. Bartho was only eighteen years of age. Close to being a young adult, but not quite there yet. Most of the other young pups also looked up to him when they needed him. In a way, he was like a guardian to any of the younger generation.

He just smiled as Shade began to get into how he and Zak had escaped. Now this story should be a good one. So he got into a comfortable spot to roost as he and Ben listened intently on the short teen's adventurous night.


	4. Council of Elders & Wrath of the Owls

**Chapter 3: The Council of Elders & Wrath of the Owls**

* * *

Outside of Tree Haven, things were relatively calm and quiet. The usual nocturnal activity was going strong, crickets singing their unique tune, fireflies flashing about. All seemed well. At least, before that calm was disturbed by a sudden and quite the boisterous sound.

***Urrp!***

"Ew, gross!" Breeze exclaimed but giggled, Todd also giving a light laugh at the Greywing.

"Heh, now that's quite the achievement."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Zak blushed, resting against a tree he picked after hunting for what had to be the most filling meal of insects in his life "I've never had a meal quite like that before. I mean, wow! I lost count at how many beetles, mosquitoes and moths I ate. I think I had mostly mosquitoes. Kind of an odd taste but they're not bad after awhile. Man, the beetles have to be the second best to moths! Ugh, I'm stuffed." He sighed contently, leaning back and rubbing both his hands onto his belly. He certainly felt full, that was for sure.

"You think that's being full? Sorry to tell you this, Zak, but you're nowhere _near_ done yet." Todd smirked, which only grew when the older bat looked up with shock.

"Wait, I still have to eat more?!"

"Unfortunately, yes, that's how it works when it comes to prepping for our migration and hibernation," Breeze shrugged with a smile, "That's what our mothers have been teaching all of us for years, and we take it to heart. We have to eat as much as we can possibly hold so that we can, well, basically build up more fat. That'll give us the energy and warmth we need. No c'mon, we'll show you the best spots to find more beetles!"

Watching as the two teens took off ahead of him, Zak couldn't help but grimace at the thought of flying with a full stomach. Already it felt like he had swallowed a stone, or a pebble considering his size, and he still had to eat more? If he didn't get a stomach ache from this, he would be genuinely amazed. Did bats even get stomach aches?  
With a groan, he leaped from the branch and flew after Todd and Breeze. The feeling of his full stomach being jostled didn't exactly feel pleasant. But he soldiered through it and caught up to them. Before Zak had his current fill of insects, he had finished retelling the story of what he and Shade had gone through before getting back to Tree Haven. Both Todd and Breeze were utterly amazed and shocked at the part when Shade had saved him from the owl in return. It was astonishing that the smallest member of their colony had done something so brave.  
Zak was honest and admitted that if it hadn't been for Shade's perfect timing, he most likely would've been dead. Just from hearing that, the teens seemed to hold a higher respect for Shade. Though there was still the youthful excitement and admiration that he got to see the sun, but it looked like they thought of the small Silverwing in a higher form.

"So, I didn't want to be rude about this before, but I've been curious," Breeze spoke up, glancing back quickly at the Greywing as they flew, "Your scent is weird. Where did you come from exactly?" Zak realized what she was referring to.

It hadn't occured to him that his smell would be vastly different compared to them. He had been handled by the humans running the animal shelter, so of course their scent would be on him. He should've known that the bats would have noticed it eventually.

"Oh. That. Well, I didn't want to say anything before, because I wasn't sure how you guys would take it. I actually came from an animal shelter," He then quickly added when he saw the curious looks on Todd and Breeze's faces, "It's a place where sick or injured animals are taken to be healed and cared for until they're better. Like wolves, rabbits, even other bats. And...well, my smell? Humans run those kinds of places, so they handle some of us bats to make sure we're in good health. So, yeah. If you're wondering why I smell so much like a human, that's it. I guess the scent just hasn't had time to totally rub off yet. That's where I came from."

He hated having to do it, but he had to fib about who he really was and where he actually came from, "I don't know what happened to me to end up there. Maybe I hit my head or something, because I needed help to fly again for awhile. Luckily I met and became friends with a few amazing bats who showed me how to get the hang of my wings again."

At this, the two teens were even more surprised. It didn't bother them that places like that existed, thanks to Zak's explanation that the animals were not harmed under the human's care, but they were concerned about whatever had happened to him.

"You couldn't remember how to use your own wings?" Todd asked, genuinely worried for how the Greywing's life had turned, "That's...wow. I don't know what I would do if I were in your position. I mean, flying is practically what we're born for! I can't imagine not being able to remember how to use my own wings. Didn't it bother you? I mean, about not being able to fly for awhile?" The trio stopped so they could better focus on their conversation.

At that, Zak shrugged, "I don't know, honestly. The only time it bothered me was that it did prove difficult to try and walk. Guess we're not really made for that. But these bats I met, they helped me. There was a Brightwing, about your ages, his name was Nuri. A Silverwing, same age, her name was Grania. Then there was an adult Greywing, Agatone. He can't speak because of a neck injury, but he was able to use sign language as a way of talking. Then there was another Silverwing, much much older, named Alden. He was a bit of a grump, but he helped out in his own way." With that, he stood up and spread his arms out with a smile, "And that's how I'm here now. The humans saw that I was in good condition and released me. I was just wandering on my own before I ran into you guys."

"Wow, that's really amazing!" Breeze chirped, "But, what about your colony? Wouldn't you want to get back to them?"

"I would if I could, but, I don't remember much about them. I don't know where they are, I don't remember any...names. Just my name. That's pretty much it."

One lie after another. As much as Zak knew this was for the best, fearing what the Silverwings would think of him if they knew he was originally a human, this was going to blow up back in his face at some point. He just knew it. But for now, making up a cover story that he was an amnesiac Greywing was the only right choice.

Before Todd or Breeze could ask him another question, they went silent as another pair of wingbeats sounded above them.

"Are you the newcomer?"

Glancing up, the young adult found himself looking at a larger Silverwing male perched above them. Judging from the slight bags under his eyes, he was middle aged, and seemed to have his fair share of trouble over the years, if the numerous notches in his ears were of any indication. He had no hair on the top of his head, though he possessed a goatee of a dark blue color, and his mane was a pale cream shade.

"Uhh, yes? Can I help you?" Zak answered, unsure of what this adult wanted.

"I'm Mercury, messenger of the Silverwing colony. I was told to come and find you and to bring you back to Tree Haven." Mercury stated in a professional manner, like he had done this many times before. Or he was just really experienced with his role as a messenger.

"Huh? Why's that?"

"I can't give you all the details, but the main concerns are about you and Shade Silverwing. Feel free to follow me, but be quick. The council wants to speak with the both of you right away." With his duty fulfilled, Mercury flew away back towards the colony's roost, leaving Zak and the two teenagers in silence. Todd and Breeze looked especially worried at they had just heard.

The council wanted to see him? And Shade? That was something they had never heard about before. It had to be serious if Mercury was being secretive about it. Despite the worry the Greywing was feeling he felt it was only right to abide by the adult's message and gave a quick goodbye to his two friends. He followed after Mercury, having a strong feeling that he knew exactly what this council wanted to talk about.

* * *

**Back at Tree Haven...**

"Okay, wait, so let me make sure I heard you right. Even though Zak told you to fly away, presumably back to here, you instead went back to help him, despite knowing how dangerous owls can be; and you actually took out an owl all by yourself? He never mentioned that part!"

Shade sighed in an exasperated tone, "Yes, Bartho, that's exactly what I'm telling you! I'm not making this up! I didn't want him to get hurt or killed, what else was I supposed to do? Just leave him behind for the owl and get to safety and be partially responsible if he died? No! I didn't want to do that to him!"

"You have to admit, Bartho, that's actually really amazing of Shade to do that for him," Ben added, nodding in understanding, "Even if it was incredibly risky and might've resulted in the both of them paying the price." Bartho sighed at this.

"I know, I'll admit, that was good of you, Shade. But still, that was a huge risk and just a stroke of luck that the branch swung the direction it did. What if it missed the owl?"

"But it didn't, did it? That was the only idea I had to help get Zak out of there and buy us both time to escape!" The blonde was beginning to get a little frustrated with the Greenwing. Why couldn't he just understand that he was safe now and leave it at that?

"Shade!" The familiar scolding tone from Ariel sounded, "That really isn't something you should be proud of. Listen to Bartho, you really should consider yourself and Zak lucky you both even made it here alive in the first place. And besides, I know you like to be a showoff, but try to be more like him. He knows how to be modest and not let the popularity go to his head." She had two beetles clutched in her footclaw before transferring them to her hand and held them out to Shade, "Eat. You need to build some fat for the coming migration."

The short teen was about to protest when he and his brothers caught sight of Mercury just before Ariel did. The small group went quiet as he spoke in a slightly hushed tone.

"You two," He shushed, gesturing to Ariel and Shade, "The council of elders have met. They want to see the both of you, and the newcomer, now."

"What? But...I thought only adults could go up there?" Shade questioned, now feeling far more nervous then he did before he had gotten in trouble the previous night.

"Shh! Yes. Including those who look at the sun. Now, spitwash your face and follow me. Your friend should already be waiting for us up top." With that, Mercury went straight upwards to the highest point of Tree Haven. Ariel and Shade only looked at one another, herself with motherly concern and he with youthful hesitation. He handed off the beetles to Bartho and Ben before they followed after the male.

There were two paths at the very top of the ancient tree, one that led straight outside and another that went into a hollowed section that was reserved only for the grownups of the colony. Shade swallowed as he and his mother neared this place, feeling like he really shouldn't be there despite Mercury's words earlier. Once inside, the teen got a good look at how the chamber was set up. There were several platforms carved out from the ceiling, one was large enough to fit several bats, and numerous smaller ones meant for minor council members and normal adults to perch and watch from, and a few more that were slightly higher above the main platform. Moonlight streamed in through gaps from the old wooden ceiling as well, providing some natural yet foreboding light.

It was there that Shade caught sight of the familiar Greywing and gave a little smile, calling for the young adult's attention, "Zak!"

"Shade," The Greywing acknowledged with a little smile of his own, "Sorry I didn't come to see you earlier. What's going on? Why are we here?"

"Shh," Ariel gently hushed, "You'll see in a moment." She then gazed up at something above the higher platform, drawing Zak's attention to it as well.

It was only when he looked directly where the mother had been that he realized five figures were roosting in the shadows. Five new pairs of eyes gazing at him before one dismounted, and the others followed, and made themselves known to the three bats. They were old, how old exactly he didn't know, but their graying hair and aged facial features told him enough. There was one taller female who stood confidently, yet imposingly, as the others followed suit. They all appeared to be female, two had short statures, one had faded green fur and the other was a greyish blue. The other two had skinnier builds like the lead female, though they're postures were very slightly hunched, one more so then the other.

They had to be the council of elders Mercury was talking about.

"I am Frieda," The lead female's voice spoke loud and clear, though her tone was filled with that of leadership and experience, "Head elder of the council. This is Aurora, Lucretia, Bathsheba and Guinevere." She gestured to the other females, each except Bathsheba giving a small bow of the head in response to their name, "For the sake of the newcomer, I thought it would be appropriate that he knows who we are. State your name, Greywing."

Zak took a deep breath, feeling undeniably small in the presence of the leaders of the colony themselves. He felt a warm hand rest onto his shoulder, turning to see Ariel's face give him a tiny comforting smile. Like she knew this was his very first time being on the spot like this. Again, he took a breath to relax himself.

"Uh, Zakari," He made sure to speak as clear as he could, "But just Zak is fine, if that's alright." He bowed his head down in respect, hoping that last part was not unnecessary.

"Very well," Frieda nodded, her tone unwavering before raising a hand towards them, "Zak Greywing and Shade Silverwing, step forward."

Shade glanced up at his mother nervously. But like she did with his friend, she just gave a bit of encouragement in the form of a light but brief smile, and he slowly stepped forward alongside Zak. Both turned to one another briefly before focusing back on the elders.

"The both of you have broken the most ancient law of our colony. Can either of you give an explanation on why this happened?"

Shade had no idea what to say. How was he supposed to tell the elders that he did it on a stupid and childish dare against his bully? His mouth had suddenly gone try as he tried to figure out a response to the question. Zak was running it through his head on how to properly answer Frieda, as well. He opened his mouth to tell the truth, only for Ariel to silence him as she suddenly spoke up. Her concern for her son had won over and prevented the two from speaking on their own.

"J-Just youthful exuberance and curiousity! They didn't mean to cause any harm!" She urgently pressed, protectively holding Shade like she was expecting him to be taken from her by force. But at this, Bathsheba scowled.

"Curiosity that could bring nothing but ruin to this entire colony!" Her voice was harsh and gravelly, "The laws are there for a reason. They keep us safe. The owls will want justice for these two breaking the most sacred and ancient law in our history!" She pointed to Shade and Zak to make her point clear, "And, quite frankly, who could blame them?"

"_Bathsheba._" Frieda sharply silenced the female, before turning back to the group, "Do either of you have anything to say for yourselves? Anything?"

This time, Zak was ready with his response.

"Yes. I do, ma'am." He did his best to ignore the shocked look Shade's face, "Please, don't put all the blame on Shade. Yes, I was there with him before and after the sun had risen. But being the only older individual there, I should've done something to prevent the law from being broken at all. But I didn't. Because...I too wanted to see the sun." The Greywing's heart was starting to beat harder and faster with tense fear. Almost like what he had felt when the owl had been chasing him. And it didn't help when he could hear the hushed but very audible whispers and muttering amongst the many other Silverwings listening in on the impromptu trial.

"Zak, no! What're you doing?!" Shade whispered, genuinely scared for the Greywing.

"That's very noble of you, young one," Lucretia, the second tallest to Frieda, crooned, "It is rare when someone of your age tries to take the entire blame to themselves like you are. Noble as it is you must understand that it wasn't just you, but Shade, too; that have seen the sun. Unfortunately, there's just no room to take the entire blame."

"Exactly!" Bathsheba immediately fired back, "Don't think this makes you any less suspicious of possibly planting the mere idea in this troublemaker's head, outsider! I find it a might odd that you are alone in the first place. Perhaps you are a troublemaker yourself and your colony had enough of you. So they kicked. You. Out." Her icy tone sent shivers up Zak's back, but it also made him bristle at her words. She had no idea who he was. Who was she to judge him for simply being on his own? But this time Frieda didn't just silence Bathsheba's tirade, but a curious expression did appear on her face.

"While I do not wish to assume such things, it does get one wondering. Why, pray tell, Zak; _are_ you alone?"

Here it was again. The time to put his fake background to good use. And no doubt that Shade, Ariel and even the council members could smell him. Heck, maybe even the entire colony had already smelled him, too.

"Because...I have no memory or any recollection of where my colony is," He breathed, "I was injured, not sure how exactly, but I was taken in by humans. To be healed and cared for until I was well enough to be released. I've only been on my own for a few nights now."

Now the council chamber was alive with surprised gasps and mutters happening at a greater volume. Even Ariel and Shade looked baffled that he had been in contact with humans. Though his scent probably already gave it away, they were still surprised by the revelation. But there was one reaction Zak did not expect. And it came from Frieda.  
When he looked back up to her, instead of finding shock on her face, there was a look of curiousity and wonder in her aged yet piercing eyes. It was only when his eyes looked lower that he noticed she was idly running her claw against a gleaming steel band on her left forearm.

A whooping laugh suddenly caught the Greywing, Shade and Ariel by surprise. It was coming from the other shorter elder, aside from Bathsheba, Yennefer.

"Well! That explains why he has that particular scent on him!" She giggled in a good-natured fashion, "I thought it was my age finally catching up to me!"

Aurora nodded slowly with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, that does...make sense. I was curious on why he smelled so much like a human. I thought they were dangerous beings. Surprising that there are some who actually _care_ for us creatures." She added quietly.

Briefly Frieda raised her hand to signal for silence, the entire chamber going quiet once more before turning back to the bats of interest, "Now that that's out of the way and explained. Shade. Do _you_ have anything to say for yourself?"

"No, he doesn't!" Ariel begged, fearing of the repercussions if she let her son speak his mind, "Please, he's only a child!"

Despite what his mother wanted, Shade's brow furrowed and he shook his shoulders free of her hands.

"No, as a matter of fact...I do have something to say." He uttered as confidently as he could, "The law is-...the law is...wrong."

Even Zak couldn't stop the shock from filling his face. No doubt the same could be said about the much louder mutterings and aghast conversations happening around them. And there was no stopping his own comment from slipping out.

"Shade, what the hell are _you_ doing?!" He hissed.

"_Shade!_" Ariel scolded, completely caught off-guard from his unabashed comment. But although Frieda tried to allow the teen to speak his mind, Bathsheba was furious.

"Listen here, you insolent little upstart," She growled menacingly, "That law you think is so wrong guarantees our very existence! None of us would be alive to this very day if not for that! You ungrateful-!"

"Bathsheba, enough!" Again, Frieda silenced her before turning back to Shade, "Continue."

"Uhhh...I mean, what's wrong with us seeing the sun? There's no harm in it! Zak and I didn't turn into stone!" He defended while gesturing to himself and the Greywing.

"Because the whole 'turning into stone' thing is nothing but a myth, Shade! And the 'turning to ashes' myth is also just a myth!" But the teen just ignored him, yet again.

"The only reason we can't go out in the sun is because of the owls! It's just-...i-it's just not fair!" There, Frieda raised a hand up to stop him, having heard enough.

"I believe I speak for all of us when I say this, Frieda," Yet again, Bathsheba flared her wings in anger, "We have no other choice but to hand over the lawbreakers to the owls. It's the only way our colony will be spared their wrath. And we should do it now before the owls come here themselves!"

Ariel and Shade's eyes widened, his mother wrapping her arms around him protectively as she pleaded to Frieda to spare him. It pained her that Zak wasn't on her mind at that very moment, but she didn't want to lose her son. She didn't want to lose anyone else in her family.

Not again.

Thankfully, Frieda was a far more forgiving elder then she appeared. She made it clear that she, and her alone, would take the right action at the right time. Being the head elder, while the other four elders could cast votes, it was ultimately her word that was law in their colony. With that, the trial was adjourned. Bathsheba merely sneered and looked away like a spoiled child that didn't get their way. While Frieda herself slowly glided down towards the trio, the remaining elders began to take their leave as well.

Frieda walked towards them after she landed, rather gracefully, before she began to speak again. Her tone was a little lighter and gentle then before.

"Come with me," The elder turned to Zak right after, "You're free to come along as well, or you can take your leave and join the rest of the colony. I take it you're familiar with our story?"

At first, he wasn't sure what she meant exactly, but then Zak realized she was talking about the history of the law. He nodded.

"Y-Yes. I am. The shelter I was in had a few kind bats who told me about it."

"Good," Frieda nodded and smiled lightly, "I'm glad to hear that. Let me be the first to tell you that you're welcome to stay with us for as long as you want. You can even migrate with us, if you wish. When the time is right, I would like to speak with you in private. Not now, but I'll be sure to let you know."

With that, Frieda took off with Shade nervously following along behind her. Zak glanced over the edge of the platform to see the pale colored female and the more brightly colored teen slowly spiral down to the deepest levels of Tree Haven. Once they became mere specks, he prepared himself to fly back down to see if he could find Bartho. He only got to talk with him a little the previous night, but he had plenty of time now.

"Wait," Ariel's voice stopped him, "Can we talk for a moment? Please?"

"Sure. What is it?" The adult female only gestured for him to follow her as she took flight, heading upwards to the outside of Tree Haven. The Greywing followed until he found her hanging on a branch. He effortlessly did the same, landing and swinging upside down beside her, "Ariel? Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry," She breathed, closing her eyes, "About earlier. When Bathsheba said that you and Shade should be given up to the owls, all I could think of at that moment was my son. I didn't want to lose him. I...wasn't even thinking of you. And you've done so much for Shade already." Proud admiration filled her voice as she looked straight into Zak's curious eyes, "He was telling me about you last night, about how you protected him against Chinook. How you put yourself at risk to help him get away. Everything. Even just now, with the council, you were willing to take the entire blame to help him."

The Greywing's cheeks began to warm at how genuinely impressed Ariel was. He just glanced away and shrugged.

"Well, he's only young. He's, what, fifteen? Sixteen? I'm just guessing, but I can see that he's still a kid. I hated how Chinook was treating him when we first met, so there was no way I was just going to stand there and do nothing." He frowned as he thought that male, "How often does that happen, Ariel? The bullying?"

At that, the adult just sighed, "I know this may seem like I'm not being a good mother, but...I just try to ignore it. And I try my best to teach Shade to just let it go, too. Because I know what's real and not. Shade was asking me about his father after he told me everything. He's so much like him. Cassiel was also against the law. Not a day passed that he would say that, one day, he would want to see the sun. Not only that, but he said he would try and bring it back to us all." She then went silent as her face went more grim. And Zak had a feeling he knew why.

"Something happened to him." He stated, Ariel shrugged slowly, "I'm not going to press further, but...I'm sorry. I understand why you're so protective of Shade."

"He was such a little thing when he was born. I was both happy to finally see him, but also scared because he was born too early then a newborn should be. That's why he seems so much smaller then the other younglings you've seen here. I was scared that I was going to lose him. My last piece of Cassiel after he...disappeared. Shade took after his father more then me." She giggled softly, "Both in terms of looks and his personality. But...that's the thing. My husband was impulsive. Defiant. Sometimes a little foolish. But in no way was he a coward. He was the bravest male I had ever met in my life." Ariel then looked out over the moonlit landscape, "I just don't want Shade straying down that path. I can't lose him too."

Zak could feel the emotion in the mother's voice. She may seemed overbearing, to the slightly more ignorant individual, but it was plain to see that she was only trying to protect her child. A child who was the last reminder of the mate she had lost. Whether Cassiel was either missing or truly dead, he didn't know, but she was in the right place to want to keep Shade from getting into too much danger as his father did. And it wasn't very often that an adult would confide something like this with him. He was only twenty-one years old, not exactly a full grown up. But he understood that, perhaps, Ariel needed to say this. More herself then just telling him the story of her life. She needed to let go of the stress that was building from what had happened with her son. Talking it out would help her more then keeping it bottled in.

"Ariel, I-" Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood up again, along with the goosebumps forming on his skin.

The Silverwing saw that something was wrong, the blank but intense look in Zak's eyes worried her, and she tried to shake him out of what he was feeling. All he could do was raise a hand and touch the back of his neck before he could move. He urgently looked around, remembering this sensation from when he and Shade were being chased by the owl.

"Something's coming." Was all he said, swinging himself upright to get a better look at the surrounding area. He couldn't see anything until his eyes caught several dark shapes in the sky. He squinted at them, trying to get a bead on whether those were bats coming. Or if they were...

"Owls."

Ariel and Zak jumped, Mercury having somehow made his way up to them without making a sound. Barely glancing at them, the male quickly dove back down inside Tree Haven. No doubt going to look for Frieda to warn her.

Ariel swung herself upright next to Zak, and the two turned to each other with a look of uncertainty.

Bathsheba was right. The owls were coming.

No, they were already here.

**A few minutes later...**

lmost half the colony was present outside the topmost branches of Tree Haven, quietly chattering amongst each other while the glances were thrown towards the one largest individual of them all.

General Brutus. Supreme commander of the owls. He was perched on a branch closest to the entrance of the tree. His most eye-catching features weren't the massive sharp talons that gripped the branch he stood on. It wasn't the piercing orange and yellow eyes. Neither was the feathered beard encompassing along the jawline-like structure of his face. But rather it was the horned feathers that sat atop his large head. Zak thought the owl that attacked him and Shade before was big. But Brutus? He was gigantic!  
With the council of elders, minus Frieda, standing just on the next branch ahead of him, they were dwarfed by his size.

He had been standing with Ariel before Frieda and Shade emerged, and the short teen immediately took his place right next to the Greywing. As did Todd, Breeze and even Chinook. Zak didn't know why they decided to stay close to them. Or perhaps, they felt a bit of comfort being near him in general, seeing as he was the second oldest in the colony. But Chinook did cast a bit of a wounded look his way. No doubt still nursing his bruised ego from before. Only a second later, two more faces joined the group, Bartho and Ben.

"Hey. I'm Ben." The chubby Silverwing said quietly, "I'd say it's nice to finally meet you, but...considering the cirumstances, it wouldn't really be appropriate. But still, glad to finally meet you." The Greywing just nodded and politely returned the greeting.

"Likewise," He whispered back, "If we were under a different situation, I'd say it was nice to meet you too. Of course, still good to meet you. I'm Zak, by the way."

He and the rest of the teens went silent as Frieda began to speak.

"General Brutus," She greeted the owl as if he were an old friend, "My deepest apologies for keeping you waiting."

"Where are they?" The general's voice was like thunder itself. It was deep baritone type, but held a deep authority and gruffness.

"They're over there."

Frieda was pointing directly over to where Zak and Shade were standing. Meanwhile the others, save for Ben and Bartho, didn't hesitate to immediately clear the space around the two lawbreakers. Thankfully, the two siblings and Ariel stayed right close by, the adult female placing a hand onto both her son's and Zak's shoulder.

"Hand the two over to me. So that we can settle this matter as soon as possible." It may have sounded like a polite request, there was no denying that it was a demand. A demand that should be met. But what nobody expected was Frieda's response.

"No."

Straight and simple. Without skipping a beat, she denied the great owl his demand. Brutus immediately rebuffed that she do what he said, but again, Frieda firmly denied him. Zak wasn't sure what in the hell the elder was even thinking. But he was thankful for it. It was admirable that she wasn't about to give up two lawbreakers, even after what they had done. But something didn't feel...right. No, he wasn't feeling the tingle. But deep down in his gut he had this sensation that no good would come from all of this.  
Once more, Frieda again denied Brutus' command to hand over the two bats.

"Frieda, denying such a decision threatens the balance of nature. You know the law." The owl glowered at the old female, "It has stood strong for years until just yesterday. And let's not dance around the issue that the Shade Silverwing and this..._outsider_, assaulted one of my soldiers."

Shade swallowed loudly. He just realized just how much deep guano he and Zak were in now. Instinctively, he did the one thing that would give him a bit of comfort and grabbed hold of the Greywing's hand. Without batting an eye, the young adult gave it a small squeeze. As if to silently say that he wasn't going anywhere. Zak glanced down at Shade and gave a little smile for extra reassurance. But that confidence fizzled away like a drop of water on a hot frying pan when the owl suddenly landed in front of them.  
Ben and Bartho immediately moved back as far as possible, due to their natural fear of larger predators. Ariel stayed close to Shade and held him close while Zak protectively stood in front of him. Even though his heart had leapt into his throat at the sheer size of Brutus. The owl just expected him closely, deep breaths whistled through his nostrils, those piercing orange scrutinizing every detail about the Greywing.

"U-Uhhhh," Zak shakily spoke up, "F-For what it's worth...we...w-we really didn't mean to hurt one of your own m-m-men." He then gave an uneven smile. But the general just sneered and raised a feathery brow. Before turning back to Frieda and the council.

"Brutus, we have been flying in these forests for a long, long time. And I understand that these two young ones might have gotten a little...carried away with your fellow soldier. They were defending themselves. You understand, don't you? There's no possible way that they could can really upset the balance of life. Can't you reconsider?" Frieda spoke in a friendlier and gentle tone, hoping that, if possible, she could persuade the owl from taking Zak and Shade for their justice.

"I will not be manipulated!" Brutus hissed, "You of all bats should know that emotions have no place in the execution of the law! As I've asked before, hand over the lawbreakers to us and there will be no further issues!"

"My thoughts exactly," Bathsheba, unsurprisingly, agreed with the general, "Frieda, the owls are well within their right to-"

"General Brutus," Frieda interrupted the shorter elder without skipping a beat, "As the leader of this colony I stand firm on my decision. No Silverwings nor Greywings will be sacrificed for the sake of your _unjust _law."

There, Zak was genuinely amazed at the elder's resolve. She really wasn't going to back down from this. Despite the dangerous results it could lead to, Frieda was protecting him and Shade like they were her own children. And, in a way, her entire colony were her children.

But Brutus, his feathers bristled and raised up in what could only be unbridled fury. And his voice boomed with just as much power and anger.

"Unjust law?!"

With only a single beat of his powerful and feathery wings, Brutus soared over and landed with a heavy thud, the bark of the branch crumbling from the iron grip his talons had on it. He leaned until his beak was just barely an inch away from the head elder's face.

"This is your last warning, Frieda. I will not ask you again. Give. Us. The Silverwing. And Greywing." His tone was dark and threatening, but still, Frieda did not back down. She didn't even flinch.

"**No.**" Her tone was just as firm as before, "I have spoken. No one, and I mean no one, is going to be sacrificed tonight."

Everyone watched with bated breaths. The owl and Silverwing stared each other down. Chinook, Todd and Breeze looked from Shade and Zak, then back to Frieda with nervous gazes. Ariel kept her grip on her son, but also kept a hand on the Greywing with motherly protection. It felt like an eternity had passed before Brutus began to back away.

But a dark grin spread on his beak.

"Very well. You've made your choice, Silverwing. As I have made mine." He spread his wings and took to the air, keeping his bright colored eyes locked on Frieda the entire time, "**Now prepare to suffer the consequences!**"

With his warning, the general turned and flew off towards the forest. It seemed like that was it. But why did it feel so wrong? Then Zak remembered. There were more then just one speck when he first spotted the owls coming from afar. There had to be more, but they were all but absent while Brutus was here.

"There were other owls. Where are they?" He asked, looking at Ariel with an unsettled expression. She seemed to realize right away that whoever Brutus had been travelling with, they weren't around anywhere.

Bathsheba's rough voice suddenly screamed out.

"**Look!**"

Everyone turned to her, then followed where she was pointing. Coming from far across the bay, the missing owls were flying in formation towards Tree Haven. But it wasn't them alone that made a pit of dread form in Zak's stomach. It was what was held in their talons as they flew closer to the colony.

"Oh god." Was all he could utter as he realized what it was.

They had fire.

* * *

Ben could only stand rooted on the spot as he and the rest of his family watched in horror as the owls reached Tree Haven with frightening speed. The closer they got, the easier they could easily see the fire crackling away at the sticks they carried. He barely even heard his mother call for him to fly that he finally began to move, flapping his wings feverishly before diving back inside the old tree.  
He knew he had to get to safetly. Which place was safer then _inside_ Tree Haven? It had to be, right? The fire would only be outside, so long as they remained in for only a short amount of time, they could escape afterward. But the Silverwing's thoughts were dashed when one of the large flaming sticks suddenly fell past him, striking and bouncing off one wooden roost to the other, and with the wood so dry it easily caught aflame after only being touched for a moment.

That's when the screaming began. Mothers and children cried out fearfully as more fire sticks fell down inside the tree, Breeze and her mother just barely avoiding one that landed where they had been standing before. Once dark, the interior of Tree Haven was alight from the flames that began to spread quickly. Silverwings were scattering, trying to find a way out but panicked as they also tried to find their family. Mothers looked for younglings, younglings cried out for their mothers, especially those who were still too young to fly on their own just yet. Thankfully, there were some teenagers who were more level-headed and did their best to evacuate the others alongside other adult females who were doing the same.

The Silverwing spotted Aloy guiding the elderly and sick out, making sure they were all clear before she left herself. Leaving behind her medicinal herbs as the healing roost began to be engulfed by the fire.

_Nocturna. Nocturna, where do I go?! There's too many flying about! Ah, there!_

Ben thought fearfully in his mind before spotting one of the knotholes, relief filling him as he went to try and escape. But just before he reached it, another fire stick suddenly jammed itself in, blocking the path and creating more fire. The chubby Silverwing soon found himself coughing as his lungs burned. The sticks that fell to the very bottom of the tree were creating one large fire that would burn up Tree Haven from the inside. And it was creating smoke that made it harder to see. Again, Ben coughed, needing to find a spot to land and catch his breath. He found another knothole that hadn't been obstructed.

_Here! Here, I can get out from here! Good, I need to find Mom! Shade! Bartho, I need to find-!_

But what the Silverwing didn't realize was that part of a roost that was just a couple of wingbeats above him began to crumble and weaken due to the fire burning it. He was only a few steps away from the exit when it collapsed. Luckily, Ben noticed the smaller pieces clattering around him before he looked up. He yelped as he quickly jumped out of the way where it landed with a heavy and wooden thud. It teetered precariously on it's side before it rolled right back towards where the teen was still laying down.

The Silverwing yelled out when he suddenly felt something heavy and warm settle onto his lower body, pinning his right arm underneath it too. Glancing back fearfully, Ben realized it was the roost he tried to avoid. It had rolled on top of him, leaving only part of his upper body, head and his left arm free to move. Straining, he tried to move himself out of the debris' weight, but he could barely even move himself with the way he was trapped. The smoke was getting worse. Sparks and the heat of the fire was getting closer to where he was. He was so close to getting out.

Growing scared and frantic, Ben did the only thing he could think of to get out of this. He screamed.

* * *

Zak urgently flew circles around Tree Haven as it burned. Smoke billowing out from every entrance and the bright orange flow from the flames themselves. To any normal human eye, one would think this tree probably got struck by lightning or someone set fire to it themselves for a cruel joke. But for him, it was so much more horrific. The Greywing watched as owls purposefully chased off Silverwings brave enough to try and put out the flames, all the while ignoring those who were on the ground trying to put out the smaller fires from fallen burning debris.

After everyone started flying, Zak had opted to remain outside to make sure anyone who hadn't gotten out of Tree Haven had escaped safely. He stopped to help some pups who had gotten themselves wedged in one knothole, trying and failing to squeeze past each other moments before, and carefully moved one after the other out until they were all free. Then he stopped to help Aloy, after she had gotten the old and sick cleared, guide some of the females out with their pups who clung to their manes, wailing fearfully from the smoke and heat they had been feeling before. He was just about to leave before his ears caught something.

No. Not some_thing_. Some_one_.

**"Hello?! Heeelp!"**

Someone was still inside. Their desperate and fear filled cry was coming from further down where the knothole was. He stepped inside quickly, covering his snout with his hands to avoid breathing in too much smoke. Though it burned at his eyes, Zak kept them open long enough to look down from the ledge he stood on.

"**Hello!**" He yelled out, hoping that whoever was trapped would respond, "**Where are you!**"

Then he heard it again. Straight down below, he could see someone frantically waving with one arm. He jumped from the ledge and used his wings as a makeshift parachute to slow his descent, hearing the voice as he got closer. Their tone was severely panicked.

**"I'm down here! Please! Please, I'm down here! I'm stuck! I'm stuck, I can't move! I can't move!"**

That young teenaged voice sounded familiar for a reason. Zak realized it was Ben, the Silverwing's eyes were wide and full of tears as he desperately reached out with the only arm he had free, the rest of him stuck beneath partially smoldering debris, "Zak! Please! Hurry! I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die, please!"

The Silverwing's voice cracked from the sheer amount of fear going through his body, and he frantically clawed at the ground in an attempt to crawl out from the chunk of wood that had rolled over him.

"Ben! Hang on! Hang on, I gotcha!" He rushed over side of the broken roost and put his back up against it, and gripped with his claws, "I'll get you out of there, Ben! Just...hang on!" Grunting and straining, Zak tried to lift up the one side in hopes of getting it up enough for the teen to crawl out on his own. Even as he did that, Ben tried to help by using his only arm and pushed up with a forearm and elbow. But the chunk of wood was way too heavy for him to lift on his own. It barely moved an inch before Zak had to let go and think of another plan. "Hang on, I'll think of something!"

He coughed, looking around before spotting a sturdy looking branch lying just in front of him. It resembled a pole. Looking back at the debris, he noticed there was a crack beneath it that went straight underneath where Ben was stuck. If he got proper leverage, he could get him out. He had to!

The smoke was getting worse. Getting harder to breathe. The Greywing grabbed the stick and jammed it into the crack, positioning it so that when he pushed it upward it would lift the chunk of wood right off. He hoped it would.

Ben coughed hard, then cried out as he tried blinking his eyes clear of the tears that the smoke caused, "Please! I can't breathe! Hurry!"

Without saying a word, Zak positioned his shoulder under the pole and used his legs to push up on it. He pushed with all of his might as this time, the debris finally began to move ever so slightly. Gritting his teeth he pushed harder, his legs shaking as he took one step forward and then another, straining as he lifted it up further. Further. And further. Until finally, feeling that he was loose, Ben quickly got his other arm out to crawl free. Seeing he was no longer trapped, Zak let go of the pole and quickly went to help the Silverwing on his feet.

"C'mon, go! Go, go, go!" He urged Ben as they both hobbled over to the exit and took flight.

Not even five seconds after he had gotten free, the ground Ben had been trapped on before finally collapsed in on itself as the fire raging below took its toll on the structure, and the fire raged even higher and stronger then before.

* * *

Outside of Tree Haven, the entire colony had fallen silent as the fire had completely overtaken their summer home. One of the larger branches creaked before snapping off and falling into the water below. More pieces began to crumble soon after as the tree's integrity began to weaken further. Shade, Bartho and Ariel had just found a spot to roost, the female having suffered a surprisingly minor injury when she had pushed her son out of the way of a falling tree branch. It amazed even her that despite it's weight and the force it fell onto her, she was able to fly at all. And she never would have gotten out if Chinook hadn't shown up when he did and helped Bartho and Shade get the branch off of her. With the combined strength of the two larger males, the feat was no trouble. But she grew worried when she noticed the absence of her other son, Ben, and Zak.

She thought they would have gotten away from Tree Haven immediately. Didn't they? She dearly hoped they weren't trapped inside the blaze. They had to be safe. Her son and the outsider.

Shade had asked if she was hurt, Bartho even checking over her back to see if there were any wounds.

"No. I'm fine. What about Tree Haven?" She had to ask, even though the answer was clear and right in front of them. Bartho and Shade just turned at the flaming pyre that was once their summer home. The Greenwing just sighed, closed his eyes and hung his head in silent grief. Shade did the same but looked at his mother with great shame and sadness in his eyes.

"It's too late."

Two pairs of wingbeats started coming towards them, the trio realizing it was Ben and Zak. The Silverwing immediately went to Ariel after he landed.

"Mom!" He called out as he was embraced by her, burying his face into her mane for comfort and safety. Bartho moving to the opposite side of the female to provide his own wing to his half sibling.

"Ben! Oh Ben, there you are! I was so worried when we didn't see you!" She said, holding the teen close before she realized the scent of smoke was heavy on him, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I-I got st-stuck," Ben stuttered, rubbing at his reddened and stinging eyes as he looked up at Ariel, "I wa-was, t-trapped and couldn't get out. But Z-Zak found me and hel-helped me. I-I-I w-was so scared...!" He broke down and began to softly cry back into the female's mane. Bartho and Ariel just held the frightened boy in their wings, giving him the comfort he needed after surviving such a close call.

Shade and Zak, meanwhile, turned and looked back at the fire burning in front of not just them, but everyone. The colony of females and younglings all watched in mute horror, shock and sadness as the summer home they've travelled to for many generations burned.

Frieda and the elders looked on in sullen grief for the place they called home for many years.

Chinook, Todd, Breeze and all other teenaged Silverwings looked on it horror.

Mothers with their younger children just held their whimpering charges in their wings. Feeling only grateful that they had escaped with their lives.

Shade and Zak. They just looked on with heavy guilt in their hearts. Knowing that the reason this had happened at all was because they both had broken the law.

But watching nearby, General Brutus had sat through the entire event and only gave a satisfied grin at the results. He turned to the owls that had perched behind him, each one also bearing a proud smirk or grin from their successful mission.

Brutus took flight first, his squad following after him as he uttered silently to himself.

"Justice...has been served."

* * *

**Bit of a longer chapter this time, I was considering finishing it up to where the owls show up with fire and then continuing the scene on in the next chapter.**

**But, ultimately, I wanted to do the entire scene up to after Tree Haven has been fully engulfed in flames. Plus, I really wanted to explore more of my OC Ben's character and just how innocent and vulnerable he can be when faced with such dire situations.**

**For a little fun tidbit, I imagine Ben's voice actor to be Tom Holland. His most prominent role being Peter Park/Spider-Man in the MCU movies. He has the perfect voice to fit a teenager, especially for a character like Benny Boo here.**

**And like the actor himself, I wanted to explore a moment where Ben goes through what Peter Parker did in the Homecoming film. Bit of a reference to that specific movie scene, if y'all know it. ^^**

**So now, we're really getting into the meat of the story here! So now, Zak has revealed (not truly, anyway) that he came from an animal shelter and was handled by humans. But he hasn't yet, and will not, reveal that he was actually a human once before his transformation. But one thing that will give him away isn't his mannerisms shown in the previous chapter. But rather it's his constantly lingering human scent.**  
**Because I figure that with a normal purebred bat, if they were touched by a human, the scent would only last for a few hours until washed off. But for Zak, his original scent still remains, and while the smell of the forest will linger and mingle with it, any other animal will still be able to smell 'human' on him.**

**For now, though, he's playing his cards right to keep his secret hidden.**

**In the next chapter, the colony begins their migration early, and Zak gets his first proper taste of travelling far distances with a colony. But, also, he gets an up close and nasty taste of flying in a storm. **

**Hope you guys like this chapter! Let me know what you think!**


	5. Early Migration

**Chapter 4: Early Migration & an Confiding in a Friend (or Two)**

* * *

Nobody could take their eyes off of the blaze. The flames were so large one would swear they could feel the heat from where they were. Shade felt a flurry of emotions running through his body. There was great guilt for what had happened, sadness that his colony's summer home had been lost forever. But there was one emotion that burned just as hot as the fire in front of him. The Silverwing turned his head into the direction Brutus and his owls were flying off to. He didn't know why, but anger boiled up inside his chest as he turned his body and made ready to go after the general.

But he stopped. Although his hands were clenched tightly, so much so that the tips of his fingers were digging into his palm, he just sighed in defeat. He felt a hand gently touch his shoulder, making him look up to who it belonged to. He saw Zak looking at him with a sympathetic but equally guilty gaze. The Greywing understood perfectly of what he was feeling. He was angry, too, but he didn't show it as much as Shade did. But he knew nothing good would come of it. There was nothing they could do. The young adult turned and looked back towards the fire. But then, to his confusion, he heard something. Like a whisper, but somehow it was much louder and sounded like it was coming right from...Tree Haven itself.

It had taken a moment before Frieda had made it clear that the echo chamber had been breached. Thousands of years of stories, the very history of the Silverwing colony, were now free. And lost to the open sky. But she also added that true history is kept in one's memory, and that as long as the Silverwings kept flying and living their history will never be lost. While it was an inspiring speech it did little to help alleviate the emotions of losing their summer home for the rest of the colony.

Of course, none were more angered by the loss then Bathsheba herself.

"You have betrayed us, Frieda," She snarled, "If we had handed over Shade and the outsider like Brutus wanted our home would still be standing! Instead you sacrifice it for a loathsome runt? And a complete stranger? Look what has become of Tree Haven now! Silverwings!" She focused on the colony now, spreading her arms out to call for their attention, "Do you really still choose to follow Frieda after what has happened? Speak!"

Zak and Shade looked around as they began to hear various voices muttering. Almost as if there were quite a few who seemed to share in Bathsheba's anger over what had just transpired. But at that moment, Frieda sharply turned to Bathsheba. Her gaze hard and resolute.

"My title and power as elder of this colony only stands so long as the colony itself allows it," She said in a steady tone, before she focused onto the many eyes looking watching her, "I will not lie to you all. We have indeed suffered a great loss this night. Our nursery roost for thousands of years is gone. I understand you are all heartbroken and angry, but realize this, we have not suffered a single casualty. But allow me to ask you all this. It is easier to replace a home then to replace a child. Ariel could never replace Shade, nor Bartho or even Ben. As any mother would do, she would not give up her child for a law as unfair as this. Now tell me, would any of you have given up your own child in exchange for Tree Haven's continued safety? Mothers? Would you have done what Ariel could not?"

Everyone had gone quiet, an uncomfortable but shared realization going through them all, as the mothers contemplated Frieda's question. No. They could never do that to their children. Never. The thought of losing their own child, giving them up, was a horrible one. Frieda knew her answer without needing to hear one.

"If any of you think I've made the wrong choice, now is the time to tell me," Frieda continued, "For as long as I'm the head elder, I will not bargain any lives no matter how great the consequences might be. If you still want to be angry, turn that anger to the owls who burned down our home. Not one of our own, no matter if they were born into this colony," She then glanced over to Shade and the others, specifically she looked at Zak, "Or if they're wanderers in need of a home." There was a small smile at the corner of her mouth, well hidden from Batsheba. This made the Greywing feel a much greater respect for her. As well as very thankful.

Despite what happened, she was still willing to let him stay. But it also felt like she considered him part of the colony already.

With that, Frieda reminded all the mothers that now they needed to prepare their children, at least those who could fly on their own; for the long trip ahead of them.

The females began with their task. How, exactly, Zak wasn't too sure. He wasn't familiar with how migration protocols worked, especially for bats. He just turned back to Ariel and her small family.

"Are you okay?" Shade fretfully asked his mother, "Does it hurt anywhere?" Ariel just smiled tenderly as she and Bartho stood up with Ben, who had calmed down and was wiping his eyes clear of tears from before.

"I'll be okay, Shade. Don't worry about me."

"She doesn't have any serious wounds, as far as I can tell," Bartho added, "You're very lucky, Ariel. If it had been anything serious, we wouldn't be able to treat it."

"W-Why not?" Ben sniffled, clearing his throat and speaking normally now that his panic attack was gone, "We don't have any herbs?"

Bartho just shook his head, "No. Everything Nurse Aloy had was in the healing chamber. Now it's...it's gone."

Again, they all turned back to Tree Haven as the fire finally began to die down. The glow of the flames were fading out, embers from burned wood were beginning to extinguish, and now only smoke remained wafting from the ruined remains. While Zak remained watching, Ariel quickly gathered her three sons in a semi-circle.

"Listen, since we're leaving early, I'm going to have to sing our colony's migration sound map to all of you. Each one of you needs to know the way to our winter roost, should you happen to get separated. Now I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it's better to be prepared. Alright?" She turned to look at Bartho, then to Ben and then Shade last.

"I understand, Ariel."

"O-Okay. I got it."

"The whole thing?" Shade blurted out, seeming worried about the plan.

"I don't have time to sing it to all of you in stages. It'll have to be the entire map at once. Now, Shade, you first."

Zak watched curiously at how this process was done. As soon as he heard Ariel mentioned 'singing' the sound map, he looked the rest of the colony and noticed that the mothers all appeared to be...singing? He wasn't sure if it really qualified as singing, but his ears did pick up an odd and steady ringing sound as the children of these mothers had their eyes closed, and seemed to be listening to the sound being played at them. He glanced back down and watched as Shade received the sound map first. He was strangely still for a moment, his face scrunching up in what was either discomfort or concentration. Whatever it was, he suddenly gasped and backed away to the point he had fallen off the branch.  
Thankfully, before the Greywing could jump after him, the Silverwing flew back up on his own unharmed, albeit a bit shaken from being given the map. After making sure her son was alright, Ariel moved onto Ben next.

Unlike Shade, the chubbier male only let out a short exhale of breath after Ariel had stopped singing, rubbing the bridge of his nose. And Bartho, just needed to blink hard a couple of times to shake off whatever effects had happened to him.

Then Zak realized Ariel was looking at him next.

"What about you, Zak? Do you need the map?"

"Uh, I-I don't know. I mean, wouldn't it work better if I was a Silverwing?" He asked, unsure if it was a good idea for him, a Greywing, to receive a Silverwing's migration map.

"It's really no trouble, actually," Bartho spoke up, "I'm a Greenwing, but I'm able to have the map just fine. You should be fine, too. It would be a good idea if you had a map with you. Just in case."

He still wasn't so sure if it would work. But knowing that time was of the essence, he kneeled down to Ariel's height and gave a nod, letting her know that he was ready to receive the map as well. The adult just told Zak to close his eyes and to focus on the sound, and that it would come to him. Although the brief warning from Shade about how it'll feel like something's being physically put into his head didn't help to alleviate his worries.

But, he closed his eyes, and waited. Soon, he could hear the shrill whistling sound that Ariel was creating. To the normal naked eye, there was nothing but the sound. But for bats, one would be able to see the air lightly rippling like the surface of water as the sound waves washed over the Greywing's face. He did as he was instructed and focused solely onto the sound itself. Trying to isolate it from the other noises around him.

At first, there appeared to be nothing. But the more he listened in on Ariel's 'song', the more his mind seemed to be briefly put at ease.

Until the images started coming. And they were coming in at overwhelming speeds. It was uneven, he would see flashes of what was supposed to be Tree Haven, suddenly he was looking at what appeared to be a barn, then suddenly a lighthouse, and a massive city, it's main focus being some sort of bell tower and a church; which he could hear the echo of them tolling. The images flickered intensely, which did not help with the overwhelming feeling of wanting to faint. And it only got worse as gone was the city, and suddenly he was looking at some kind of electrical plant, and to a tree with the very tip of it crooked and appearing as if pointing like an arrow. He could've swore he also spotted an airport or something of the sort.  
The feeling in his head was getting worse. Something was tickling his nose and his upper lip now. There was some sort of canyon with numerous holes in the walls, then there was twin peaked mountain. But before he could even see the next location, the ringing began to get much more intense, his head was swimming. His face felt like it was getting hot. He felt dizzy.

He was going to faint.

Everything had gone black. How long he was out for, he could not tell. He was still kneeling but someone was holding his shoulder and one other hand was placed on his chest. Where was he again? Something was tickling his nose again, but this time he could see a few dark spots on the wood of the tree. Like something was dripping there. He lifted his head to look at everyone else. Concerned and frightened faces greeted him as Ariel gasped out.

"Are you okay? Zak, nod your head if you understand. You don't have to answer with your voice, just nod." She said urgently yet calmly, which he did slowly but in confirmation that, while a bit dizzy, he was okay.

"I've never seen anyone react like that before," Bartho breathed next, keeping hold of the Greywing's shoulders in case he was going to fall over, "I thought it would be okay, I should have listened if you didn't want to do the sound map."

"What...Wha-What happened?" Zak finally managed to speak, before lifting a hand to itch his nose for whatever was tickling, only for the side of his index claw to come back...stained with blood? Shade and Ben glanced at each other before the chubby male replied.

"You...suddenly started to look sick. We thought it was just your first time receiving a sound map, but then your nose started bleeding and...Nocturna, your eyes. They were open but, it was like your were trying to look for something but couldn't find it, they were going crazy. We had to get Mom to stop in case it did something permanent."

"You almost passed out," Shade said in a small voice, clearly disturbed by what he had just seen, "You started shaking, too. Like you were cold, but worse. I thought...there was something wrong. I thought you were dying."

"I'm okay, Shade. Really. I just need...need a moment." Zak took a deep breath and cleaned away the rest of the blood that oozed from his nose. Thankfully it had stopped soon after he had come out of the sound map retrieval. The ringing in his head began to fade away and so did the dizziness, "I think I got most of the map. I think I saw some kind of canyon. And that was it before it started getting too much."

"Stonehold," Ariel nodded, "That's where all the males are waiting for us. Come, we should get ready to fly. Stay close, all of you, I feel the weather isn't really going to be in our favor."

The wind suddenly picked up, blowing several fallen leaves up into the air and off to who knows where, as if to prove Ariel's point. At the same time, Mercury alerted Frieda that dawn would soon be arriving. They would have to start flying now and find a good place to roost before it got too dark. Get as much distance as they could. Ariel turned to her children, now four in total, as she gave an encouraging smile.

"Are you ready?"

Bartho, Shade and Ben all looked to one another, and then all towards Zak as they nodded. This is what they were preparing for. Now was the time to get started. Zak gave a firm nod in return.

"Yeah. Let's get going." He grinned softly. As the others took flight and began to follow along with the rest of the colony, numerous wings rustling in the air as they followed after Frieda and the elders who headed the pack.

As he took to the air, Zak gave one last glance at the ruined Tree Haven, before he followed along with the small family. Now wasn't the time to dwell on the past. All he could do now was look forward to what fate had in store for him next.

The entire colony had been flying for about an hour, at most. Chinook felt like it had been much longer then that. He did his best to pass the time by looking at the clouds that were rolling in towards them. They were quite a ways off in the distance, no doubt those grey giants wouldn't reach them until the next night.

"Nice going, chicken wing." Todd's voice suddenly muttered from below his right side. Chinook frowned and raised a brow at the chubby male.

"What do you mean? Where did that come from?"

"You realize that all of this is just as much your fault then Shade and Zak's, right?" Chinook gawked at him, like he was asking if he was truly thinking that about him, "Because if you hadn't kept bothering Shade in the first place, and never took him up on that stupid dare, none of this would have happened. None of it!" At that, Chinook glared and snorted indignantly.

"Is that so? Well, I'll show you who's a chicken!" It was then that Chinook sharply banked downward to Todd's position, forcing the other male to stop and get out of the way to avoid being slammed into. But Todd just glowered as he took a higher position above the larger teen.

"Fine. But just remember this," His tone went dark and serious, more then Chinook himself was expecting, "I _know_ what really happened."

The dark blue Silverwing just scoffed and turned away from Todd. But as the seconds passed, his tough and firm face slowly gave way to uncertainty and worry. He didn't want to admit. He didn't. Did that make him selfish? Was he just looking after his own fur and hide? A little further ahead, he spotted Shade and his family, the little runt was trying to keep pace with his brothers and his friend, Zak. He didn't know why, but Chinook felt a little pang of something when he saw the Greywing fly underneath Shade and remained there. He didn't know if he was asking him something or not, mostly likely if he needed to rest and cling on to him. But he saw the blonde shaking his head 'no' and Zak took back his original position flying a little above Shade. Keeping a careful watch over him.

He took only the briefest of glances back at Chinook, having sensed someone was watching him, before turning back ahead.

Chinook had to wonder. Did he think the exact same thing as Todd?

After what had to have been two hours of flying, Zak was definitely feeling the ache in his arms, his wings, and the most sore he had to have been was his chest. It seemed like keeping his head up the whole flight was a bit of a strain. But perhaps that was just another thing he had to get used to. Being a bat was starting to feel a lot more stressful then he believed.  
At the very least he could finally get some proper rest. That is, if he could actually get to sleep at all. As soon as the rest of the colony had landed they had no trouble in falling into a deep sleep. The events that transpired earlier tonight had taken a lot out of them. But for the Greywing, as much as his eyes began to sting a little from exhaustion, his mind was still wide awake. And if his mind was awake, he was still awake.

He just stayed hanging upside down, idly glancing around his surroundings as the small family he had gotten to know slept soundly next to him, Bartho was nestled close to Ben, who in turn was snuggled warmly against the Greenwing. Shade was wrapped in his mother's wings. During the entire flight he had nearly been completely silent. The loss of Tree Haven weighed heavily on his mind, it seemed. Even moreso knowing that he was responsible for it. Not just him, but Zak knew he was responsible for it as well. With a quiet sigh, the Greywing carefully used his claws to climb onto the topside of the beam he was hanging from, and began to quietly walk. Whenever something was bothering him, this was what he would usually do back home.  
He lived in a Canadian seaside town, along the eastern coast, not exactly small but it was quite the sight to see, no pun intended. Whenever he needed time to himself, he would usually walk to the shoreline and just spend hours walking up and down the rocky beach. But the last time he walked he had chosen to go into the woods. Too far, in fact. That was the only reason he was here now.

And he was walking because of an argument with his parents. That's what bothered him most other then Tree Haven. The last thing he had done with his parents was argue. Leaving them without a word of where he was going. Or if he intended to come back. What were they doing now? Were they looking for him now? It had been a few nights, maybe a week at most, they had to be worried sick. Did they get the police involved to look for him?

He sharply shook his head, frowning to himself as he stood near a small opening in the structure's roof.

The colony had stopped at their first landmark, an old abandoned barn along the coastline just as the sky began to brighten up. It wasn't exactly the most lavish of spots. The stench of old animal crap lingered in the air. Not to mention the musty smell of wood rotting. But after giving it a bit of time, Zak found himself growing used to the smell. Even if it wasn't exactly pleasant. He knew not to complain, seeing as the Silverwings have very likely been migrating here for years and including the fact that their smell was much more sensitive then a human's, they were used to it. That or they just ignored it.  
Sitting down near the hole in the roof, the Greywing peered out to get a look at the sky. It was cloudy. Very cloudy, actually. And they seemed to only grow much darker further away.

'_Storm clouds_', Zak thought, '_Gonna be one hell of a flight if we're supposed to go through that._'

So he sat there. Watching the clouds move through the sky as the wind remained steady, occasionally blowing in through the opening and creating a soft yet eerie whistling sound. He had been so focused on the view that he barely acknowledged the soft scratching of claws on wood. He only turned when it was a little closer to him and found himself looking at a pair of familiar bats, one rubbing at his eyes with a quiet yawn.

"Todd, Breeze, hey. What are you guys doing up?"

"We just came to see if you were doing alright," The female spoke up in a light whisper, so as not to disturb the sleeping colony members, "Can't sleep either?"

Zak just shook his head softly, "No. I can't. It's hard to after what happened."

"Don't let it get to you too much," Todd muttered sleepily, before waking up a little more so that he wasn't squinting as much, "What Frieda said before is true. We can easily replace our summer home. It'll be fine."

"But it's not really fine, is it?" Zak replied in a tone that surprised the two teenagers a little, "I told Frieda and the rest of the elders that I could've done something. Anything. To prevent all of this from happening in the first place. I was the only oldest individual there with Shade and Chinook. I could've easily said or did something to...I don't know. Listen, just forget what I said. Go back to sleep, if you want, I don't mean to unload this on you guys. The last thing I'll say is that I tried to take the entire blame off of Shade. Unfortunately...yeah. Both of us were to blame." With a sigh, he leaned into the old wood next to the hole in the roof, staring back out yet again. Todd and Breeze just glanced at one another, unsure of what to say or do next, but a look of understanding in there eyes. Moving up a little closer, Breeze knelt down next to the Greywing and exhaled softly with pursed lips.

"I have to admit. It does suck about what happened. But...I try to remember what Frieda told us. Nobody was hurt or killed. That's the important thing, isn't it? We're all still here."

"Yeah, that's right," Todd added, "We're all safe. Sure, it was...scary. But we all made it out, didn't we?"

Zak almost wanted to mention about what nearly happened to Ben during the fire. But in a way, Todd was right. Everyone had made it out. No one had been hurt or killed in the blaze. He just gave a nod in response with a half-smile. Todd piped up next, coming up in front of the Greywing.

"And I know this may sound a little hard to do, but try not to dwell on the rest of the colony. They'll get over it. I mean, hey, Breeze and I are talking to you right now, right?" He smiled a little at that. Zak just raised a brow and tilted his head at the chubby male.

"Earlier it looked like you two wanted to keep as far away a distance from us as possible."

"Okay, maybe so, but it's our moms who wanted us to keep away from you first," Breeze quickly replied, rolling her eyes with a dramatic sigh, "You know how protective they can be with you, right?" She expected Zak to chuckle and share in the teenaged grief of having overprotective parents. Instead, she was met with silence and a slightly downcast look on the Greywing's face. Breeze realized her error almost immediately, "Oh. I-I'm sorry, I...I didn't think about that you...,"

"It's okay, Breeze," He replied softly, "It's fine. To be honest, I definitely know what its like. I was actually just remembering something about my parents."

Another lie. How many more was he going to make just to keep his real identity a secret? He fabricated a story about how he managed to recall a memory about his parents. Telling the two teenagers that they were very protective of him, even at his current age, and that they did so relentlessly until he had had enough. The argument that ensued and him deciding to leave on his own, as if in spite. Of course Todd and Breeze didn't know just how close to home this lie was. He had to change some details, but it was pretty much the same.

"So...that's why you're by yourself," Todd softly replied, "You really did leave on your own. I mean, not that we doubted you before, but we were wondering what the reason was." Breeze nodded in understanding.

"Yeah. I'm sorry to hear about how things went with your parents, Zak. But hey, at least you remember something about them, right? And, to be honest, I think it's awesome that you came to our colony. It's nice to have a new face around here." She said with a genuinely welcoming tone.

"And someone to put Chinook in his place for a change, too." Todd quickly added with a smirk, the sudden addition making Breeze bite back a giggle. Zak couldn't help but laugh, quietly though, at the teen's words as well.

"Yeah," He chuckled, "I never liked bullies, even though I've never had any troubles with them myself, as far as I can remember. I'm glad I was there to help Shade, a little." Though even as he smiled, it lessened somewhat as he remembered what Chinook had said to him exactly. Those awful things pertaining not only to his smaller height and size, but also his deceased father. He wanted to ask why Todd and Breeze were hanging out with a guy like Chinook in the first place. And not do anything about the bullying.

But he decided that the subject could wait until another time. Mostly because he was finally hit with fatigue, his mouth opening wide to yawn. With a little shake of his head, Zak carefully stood up and began to quietly move back to his roosting spot, Todd and Breeze following along behind him.

"Thanks for the talk, you guys, and thanks for listening. I think it's time for us to get to sleep, don't you think?" He said with a tired smile, making sure his footclaws were firmly locked on the wood before he let himself swing back upside down near Bartho and Ben, "Got quite the journey ahead of us, right?"

"Yeah, that's true," Todd grinned, "Hope you have a good rest, Zak. You're going to need it for tomorrow." He quickly fluttered over to where his mother was sleeping, Breeze giving a little wave to the Greywing before taking her leave.

Now that he was left to his own thoughts, Zak remained awake for just a little while more, thinking over what the two teens had told him. About Tree Haven and the like. And they were right. It could be replaced, their summer home. And the rest of the colony would let it go with time. For now, all he could do was just think of the present and the future. It wouldn't help to get lost in the past now.  
With another quiet yawn, the Greywing spread out his wings and carefully wrapped them around his body, encasing himself in a soothing warmth as the let the sounds of the wind outside the barn, and his own soft rocking from his roost; to further help him fall asleep.

But as he dozed off, far into the distance of the ocean, a soft rumble of thunder could be heard.

* * *

**After a few months of working on this chapter, it's finally done!**

**The reason why this one took longer was because I had a little bit of trouble with the pacing and what I wanted to add and change in terms of dialogue and character interactions.**

**After a bit of chatting with a friend, I've figured out what to do in order to help myself move along with the story and future chapters easier. I'm going to be skipping over certain parts from the show and the books, just to save on writing time, otherwise it would take me longer to finish up chapters if I tried to do rewrites of familiar scenes everyone has already read or watched before in Silverwing. Though they will be mentioned in narrations by Zak, so that way readers don't get lost and confused on where specific parts have gone.**

**One good example is that I'm going to skip over the storm scene and get right into the where Shade and Zak end up on Marina's island.**

**As for the changes I've made to this chapter before uploading:**

**-I've replaced the usual dialogue Frieda speaks in the show, regarding the echoes of the Echo Chamber being lost after its breached, with what she says in the book. Letting the colony know her decision of not giving Shade to the owls was her choice, and asking if any of the mothers in the colony would've been able to give their own child if asked to do so. Honestly, her book dialogue is much much better then the show's. Of course, with a bit of changes and additions to it.**

**-Initially, I was going to try and do the storm scene in this chapter, but as mentioned above, it was taking me too long to try and write out the whole scene, even with reference help from the original book to figure out how it would play out with Zak and Shade. So instead I replaced that part with the barn scene from the book.**

**-I was also originally going to have Zak interact with Frieda in the barn, the two of them developing their relationship more and, possibly, Frieda figuring out that Zak is actually a human in a bat's body. But instead, for the sake of the story and its pacing, I swapped the interaction to be with Todd and Breeze. Just to give these two a little more spotlight since they're almost always absent, aside from a couple scenes, in the show.**

**Anyway, that's it for some extra info. Hope you guys enjoy the read, and please, leave a comment if you'd like, I love hearing your thoughts on the story. ^^**

_**Silverwing series belongs to Kenneth Oppel**_

_**Original characters belong to me**  
_


	6. From an Island & to the City

**Chapter 5: From an Island & to the City**

He could hear the sound of waves washing against the shore. The salty scent of sea water was heavy in the air. It strangely reminded him of his hometown. It was quite soothing, in a way. But, unfortunately, not enough to soothe the pounding headache that the Greywing was currently feeling. And he was cold. And soaked, judging from how damp his fur felt.

_'Damn. What happened?'_

What had happened, indeed. He opened his eyes slowly, looking around with bleary vision before coming to the slow realization that he was upside down. He didn't remember roosting anywhere. Did he? Looking down towards his feet he saw the reason why. His foot was wedged between two branches.

_'Okay. Definitely did not roost by myself.'_

Carefully, so as not to cause his foot to slip through the branch, Zak pulled himself up and onto the limb. His head still ached, as well as his foot for however long he had been hanging there. But after giving himself a moment to get his thoughts together, he finally turned his head up to scope out his surroundings. It looked like night had just begun. There was still the slight glow of the sun as it disappeared in the horizon. As for his location, he did not recognize anything.  
At all, actually. He could see a few trees from his current position, and just a few wingbeats down from him he could see a beach. And a Human's sailboat docked at a little pier. Not exactly in one piece, it looked like it had been there for ages and was falling apart. Was he still on the mainland? Zak decided to take a look, first making sure his wings still worked, before taking flight to find a good vantage point of his surroundings.

There didn't seem to be as many trees as he thought, though there were some generously forested parts. But his main focus was to figure out where he was. Luckily, he did find one lone tree to perch himself on. As soon as he looked around, he was immediately taken in by the view around him.  
He was on an island. That much was for certain. The expanse of water all around him was an obvious sign. Zak could only look at the ocean, spotting what could possibly be the mainland towards the west, if he was looking in the right direction. But it looked like quite the flight to reach it, at least for a bat.  
But the real question remained. How, exactly, did he manage to make it here in the first place? But then he also realized something else.

Where was the rest of the colony? The Greywing knelt down and began to mentally dig through his memory, trying to figure out what had happened to leave him alone and stranded on the island. His head still ached somewhat, but he could remember bits and pieces. There had been thunder. And lightning. A lot of it. A storm. That was it. He and the rest of the colony had been flying in a storm. And it had been a bad one.

_'But what the hell happened then?'_ Zak wracked his brain for the answer he needed, _'How did I end up here on my own?'_

He kept mentally digging. Anything for a better clue. What happened for him to wind up on an island in the middle of nowhere? All he got were more pieces from his memory. He remembered there was one really bad lightning strike. Strangely, he could recall being thrown back by a powerful unseen force. A shockwave from the thunder that followed after? Then all he could remember was...falling. No, not just falling. He had been diving.

He dove after Shade after he had been thrown off balance and was sent plummeting to the clouds below.

The Greywing had managed to catch up to the small bat and grabbed ahold of his hand. But then Zak remembered that he wound up falling with him. The both of them were being tossed head over heels through the air.

He sounded so scared. The Greywing was too but he had been too focused on Shade. The Silverwing was begging him to help him. Unable to open his wings due to the high winds. Then the rest of the pieces began falling into place the more he remembered. He had managed to slow their descent until Shade managed to right himself and fly on his own just before they reached the dark expanse of the ocean. But the storm was tossing them around violently, they barely managed to keep themselves aloft through the intense winds. Then Zak got blown way off course and away from Shade, and was buffeted by the winds before it had blown him right into a tree. Then everything had gone black from there.  
But now the one thing that remained in his mind was Shade's whereabouts. Was he on the island, too? He truly hoped that was possible. He hated to imagine his little friend being lost to the sea. But where exactly on the island he would be was the real question. There were a few trees, that Zak could see from his position at least, but there was still a lot of ground to cover. There had to be other areas he couldn't see. So the Greywing carefully scanned for any other landmarks that Shade might've gone to in the immediate vicinity. But there wasn't much in terms of good shelter from the elements and potential predators living here.

All except for one peculiar spot. A lone building nestled in a slightly wooded area a short distance away. That was a good spot as any to check out first, Zak thought. He leaped from the branch and made his way over to the structure. It seemed almost too quiet for comfort in these sparse woods. He felt lucky that there weren't any birds around while he had been unconscious. And very vulnerable, now that he thought about it more. Only the occasional chirping of crickets as night began to settle across the land.  
Once he got close enough the first thing that caught his attention was a totem pole erected just a few feet away from the building. He hovered on the spot to admire the Native American structure, looking at the various animals carved into the wood in that particular style he always read in books and whenever he'd seen them around his hometown. While he wasn't Native himself, he always did respect and admire their culture. Though which tribe exactly this belonged to he did not know. When he turned to look at the building he realized it too had that same charm and appearance. A longhouse, he remembered. That was the word for a place like this. Though just like the sailboat, the place itself looked like it hadn't been used or seen by any other people in years. As he flew closer he could see at least a few spots where a bat could fit through easily.

As he made to enter one of the openings, he thought he could hear voices coming from inside. Was he hearing things? He carefully clung to the outer wall and listened in. There was nothing for a moment, but then he heard a faint voice from deeper inside. Actually, he could hear two. The first voice sounded like a female, from what the Greywing could decipher.

"Where have you been living? Under a rock?"

"No. Well...in a tree."

That second voice, though. Could it be? Zak crawled through and looked around. Amongst the old fishing nets hanging from the rafters of the longhouse, and ropes along with them, and old pottery; he spotted two bats a little ways inside. One more brightly colored then the other, who's fur was a familiar shade of blue. And the head of blonde hair was an immediate good sign for the Greywing.

"Shade? Shade!"

"Zak!" Without giving the mystery female another thought, he immediately zipped over to the Greywing and collided with him. Luckily the young adult had landed on a platform atop one of the support posts to avoid being knocked out of the air. Shade had instantly wrapped his arms around Zak's midesection and nuzzled his head into his stomach, and muttered into his fur before looking up at his face, "Zak, I thought that...! I thought you were gone! The wind carried you off like...! A-And when I didn't see you anywhere and the sun was rising I c-couldn't-!" Only a hand resting onto his shoulder calmed him down enough to hear what Zak had to say.

"Hey hey, I'm okay, Shade. It's alright. I'm here now, see?" He smiled down at the Silverwing, "I was more worried about you, actually. I was worried that you might've fell into the ocean or had been injured. I just woke up a little while ago, if you can believe it."

Even though he was glad his large friend was okay, Shade still couldn't help but hug him and press his face into his soft belly fur. "I'm just happy you're still here." Hearing that, Zak's smile grew more gentle and relieved as he returned the hug. It had to be scary for the teenager, waking up on an unknown island with nobody else around. And spending the first day by himself? The Greywing was certainly glad that, at the very least, they found each other.

**"Ahem!"**

A feminine voice interrupted them, both males looking towards the source of it, seeing a Brightwing female standing just a few feet away from them. She didn't seem very eager to introduce herself, hands on her hips and fixing a cautious and challenging glare at the two of them. Her hair was cut short in the back, from what Zak could see, but the front had a wave that was swept over the left side of her face. It looked somewhat like a punk rocker style. Like Shade, she had a slender body type, maybe more lithe then he was. She also seemed a little taller then he was, almost reaching Zak's height.

She spoke up again now that she had their attention.

"And who are you? First this little shorty, Shade, shows up and now this?" She gestured to Shade and the Greywing with a slight attitude, "If you don't mind, big guy, I was just about to ask where he came from and how he got here on his own. And, well, you too. I guess." She had pointed to the Silverwing and him in return. She briefly blew at her bangs to get them away, "So what happened with your colonies? Was there banishment involved? I mean, there had to have been, I've never seen a Greywing and Silverwing together before." At this Shade frowned at the Brightwing.

"What? No, no we weren't banished! We got blown off course in a storm!"

"Yeah," Zak replied soon after with a light nod, noting how Shade reacted to the female's words, "We weren't banished. Me, I left my colony on my own terms. My name's Zak, by the way. I just happened to come across the Silverwings a few nights ago. Just some parental issues, if you were wondering."

"I wasn't." Marina replied bluntly. Zak chose to remain silent at that point with a muted 'okay'. She focused back onto Shade, "Really? You got lost in a storm?" She stepped closer and gingerly picked up a corner of his wing membrane, "You sure it wasn't because of your smaller then average wings that failed you?" Shade's expression was that of surprise, anger and pure distaste at Marina's words. Zak meanwhile was shocked but he held his tongue.

"Wha-?! I-!" The Silverwing stammered, his cheeks going red as he fumed and growled under his breath, "I don't need this. As if getting separated from my colony wasn't enough already. C'mon, Zak. Let's get out of here." With a hard pump of his wings, he took off, leaving the Greywing standing with the Brightwing female. He just gave Marina an awkward little wave before he began to follow after Shade. Truth be told, the Brightwing seemed a little rough around the edges. But it was a little understandable if this island was her personal home. Strangers suddenly showing would make one defensive.

He and Shade were close on flying back out through the passage that Zak had entered previously, before the female suddenly swooped up in front of them; blocking their path.

"Whoa, hey, what's the hurry?"

"What do you think? We're leaving. Obviously you don't like us being here, so we'll just get of your hair." Shade bitterly remarked, making ready to just fly past her but she simply perched on the top of the bent board of the wall.

"Now just hang on a second," She chirped with a bit of a smug smile, "If you guys are going to head off, I might as well give you a quick tour of the place. Just so you know where my territory is. Oh, and by the way, Shade and Zak," She glanced back at them as she was getting ready to fly, "The name's Marina."

The two males just watched as Marina took off, then glanced at one another. Zak only shrugged, unsure of what to make of this spunky Brightwing. She definitely had attitude, for sure. Sass, it seemed more like it. Shade merely rolled his eyes with a scoff and went along with it. He figured they might as well get to see where exactly to avoid straying into.

During the flight around the island, Marina marking off each little landmark that was hers, Shade and Zak learned a bit more about the Brightwing herself. She explained that she had been on her own for three months, four if she had to guess, and was happily living her own life in seclusion. Though the reason why? She didn't say. But it was clear that she was happy, for the most part. The tour, if Zak were to be honest, was rather nice. Seeing more and more of the island he was better able to appreciate just how peaceful and beautiful it was. They had flown by a few small waterfalls created by the storm, the sound of the falling water was wonderful to the Greywing's ears. But what had really grabbed his and Shade's attention was the appearance of a pod of whales swimming not too far from the shoreline.

Orcas, as Marina explained to the both of them. Orcas. Zak never thought he would get to see such amazing animals like this. He only ever read about whales and seen them on TV. But to truly see them in the wild? In person? It was an experience he didn't want to waste. After spending a few minutes flying amongst the dorsal fins of the dark colored whales, Marina had asked them about where their colony was travelling to, and whether or not Shade would even be able to make the journey considering his smaller size.

And he did not take too kindly to the comment. But what he said next left Zak unsure if it was out of anger from the quip about his height or something else entirely.

"_I don't care!_" He snapped, "I don't want to go back anyway! _Good riddance!_" Marina stopped in midair with surprise and watched as he flew ahead of her and Zak. She only glanced at the other male with a confused expression. The Greywing only sighed. He had a good idea on what warranted the reaction.

"Come on. I think I should explain on what happened before we got here." He said softly before following after the Silverwing.

After they had roosted, Shade sulking just below them, Zak recounted the events from three nights ago. How Shade had dared someone, he wasn't going to mention Chinook, to see the sun with him and had succeeded. He also didn't bring up how he had basically roped the Greywing into seeing it with him. Then the owls wanting retribution for the crime committed, the burning of the Silverwings' summer roost, and so on. The whole time Marina had been quite until the Greywing had finished speaking, ending the story with their current predicament. After a moment of silence she finally spoke up.

"The two of you. Really, the two of you? Both of you looked at the sun?" She asked incredulously, laughing a little as if she had heard a ridiculous joke, "You have to be joking, right? I mean, c'mon! That can't be true!"

Zak only shook his head, "I wouldn't be telling you all of this if it wasn't. The both of us really did see the sun. And we paid the price for it. Seems like fate has it in for the both of us. Getting stranded here, I mean. Not knowing where the colony has gone to, exactly."

"I think it's so much better if we're nowhere near them at all," Shade glumly sighed, having calmed down a little, "At least we can't cause any trouble anymore." But hearing that, Zak could not help but to tilt his head down at the Silverwing.

"Wait, what do you mean? Shade, I know that we both screwed up big time but we can't just give up. Not that easily. And, look, I probably shouldn't even be saying this considering I'm nowhere near my own family right now, but think of your mother. And your brothers, Bartho and Ben? They have to be worried sick about you, right?" He could see Shade flinch a little at the mention of his mother and his half brothers. "Look, I know what happened is still like a fresh wound. I get it. But you can't give up. We can't give up. And, I don't know about you, Shade; but I'd rather be back with the colony instead of being out here on our own. Uh, no offense to you, of course!" He quickly turned to Marina, who only shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hey, I can't you blame you there, big guy," She responded, "Even I have to admit it does get a little lonely out here sometimes. It's nice to have a bit of company for a change."

"Likewise, it's nice to see a new friendly face out here," Zak smiled before looking back down at Shade, "So, what do you think? Should we try and find your colony?"

Shade stayed quiet. He had to be honest, it did feel so much more different when his mother wasn't around. And Zak was right. His mother did really care for him, she told him many times of how much she wanted to protect him and keep him safe. Yet here he was, stuck on an island and Nocturna knows how many wingbeats away from her. His family. Sure, Bartho was a lot like his mom, in a way, but he too was only looking out for Shade's wellbeing. Ben? He was a nice guy to talk to. If he couldn't talk to his mother or Bartho, the chubby male was always his next best choice. Plus, Ben was a hugger, and he had the softest hugs ever.  
But at the same time, the small Silverwing was hesitant. What he had done was still repeating in his mind. On one hand, he really did want to get back to the colony. But on the other he didn't want to face the ridicule from the rest of the grownups.

Shade just gave a short sigh, "I don't know, Zak. I just don't know yet. I need a bit of time to figure it out."

"Well, don't take too long, alright? We'll need to get going as soon as possible if we're going to catch up to your colony."

"Hey, in the meantime, you two can hang with me for awhile!" Marina smiled, "At least until you've decided on whether or not you're going to leave. First off, you guys hungry? There's a really good spot for moths on the southern end of the island." She went to go and point in the direction she described. A glint of metal immediately got Zak's attention.

"A band." He blurted out without thinking. Shade's ears perked up as well, looking up towards the other two. Almost instantly, Marina looked as if she had revealed something she shouldn't have, fear quickly flashing across her face before she tried to cover the band, though unsuccessfully.

"Um, band? Wha-What band?" She tried to feign ignorance.

"The band on your arm," Zak pointed out, "I didn't know you actually had one to begin with. It reminds me of-"

"Is there a problem with it?" There was a sharpness to the Brightwing's tone now, "Because if there is, you can go ahead and see yourself off my island."

"Whoa, hey, I didn't mean anything bad about it! I don't have a problem with your band at all! Really!" Zak drew back from her reaction, "All I was going to say was that it reminds me of a band that Frieda has."

Marina's face twitched. Then it slowly relaxed, by a little, as she processed what the Greywing had just told her.

"Who? Wait, you know someone else who has a band? Just like this one?" She lifted her wrist to show her band once more, and the older male nodded, "How old is she? When did she get her band?"

"Uhh, well, I don't know how long-"

"Was she a pup? A teenager like me?"

"I don't know how long-!"

"Did she get it years ago? How many years? C'mon, man, details! Give me details!"

Zak could barely keep up with her questions. He didn't know Frieda for very long, only exchanging a few words with her and that was it. How was he supposed to know about how long she had her band for? He only stuttered and made unintelligible sounds before Shade came to his rescue.

"About ten or twenty years, at most," He said, coming up behind the other male, "She's pretty old, Frieda, that's all I know about it."

"And she's still alive?" Marina asked, awe very clear in her voice and her face. Shade just gave her a confused look, as did Zak. This time the Greywing spoke.

"Yeah, she's still alive. I don't want to judge her age, but-" Marina interrupted him again.

"No no, I don't mean about her age, I'm talking about how she's still alive even after getting her band! Even after she got it nothing bad happened to her? She didn't die or, or, burst into flames or anything like that?"

"No? She's still alive, yeah." At that, Marina just smiled, almost in disbelief.

"So it's wrong. The bands don't kill you."

"Who told you something like that would happen to bats who were banded?" Shade asked, curious but still very confused. As was Zak. Marina's smile flickered before fading entirely.

"The Brightwing elders. They said that whoever gets banded by the Humans is marked for life. Cursed." She said bitterly, glancing down at her reflection in the band. She then looked back at Shade, "Are there others who are banded in your colony? Silverwings?" The teen needed a moment to think before nodding.

"From what I remember my mom telling me there's a bunch of males who were banded awhile ago. Some are still alive too. But some, well, they didn't make it."

"How did they die?" Marina was almost demanding answers now. As much as Shade didn't really want to talk about those who died, he gave her what she was looking for.

"By owls. That's it."

Zak just listened to the conversation as it continued. He began to learn so much more about the animals myths and beliefs. Marina revealed the reason why she was by herself on the island in the first place. And it was all because of her band. As she had said, her colony believed her to be cursed the moment they had seen her band. They began to hunt as she continued her story. She had been hunting, too, before she had gotten caught in a net. From there she said Humans had found her and had placed the band onto her wrist. Initially, she had been excited. Both Shade and Zak knew what was coming. And they felt great sympathy for her.  
Marina soon revealed her harsh reality when her own parents rejected her before the elders of her colony deemed her a danger because of her band. She had been chased off, and it was only moments before her colony began their migration, forced to keep her distance until she had gotten lost. She lost the trail of her colony soon after.

"I've been on my own since," Marina sighed, finishing up her moth as she glanced at the offending piece of metal fastened to her, "And...I don't want to lie to you guys. Before I found this island I wanted to...to end it all. Only because I almost believed those stories the elders told me. I figured, hey, I may not have long to live anyway. But I just couldn't do it. I flew out into the ocean, planning on just throwing myself into the water but it just looked so...darn scary. So I kept flying, telling myself I'll do it here. I'll do it here, but I just couldn't work up the nerve to go through with it! Eventually I found this island. And...that's that. In a way I'm glad I never went through with it. Because out here? There's no competition for food, I can sleep with a full stomach every day and I've got plenty of privacy. Well, at least before you guys showed up." She added with a small grin, genuinely happy to have some company that didn't fly away from her. The two males smiled in return.

"Well, even though you came off kind of rough," Shade grinned, "I'm actually kind of glad we met you, too."

"Likewise, though I wasn't as put off by your attitude as much as Shade was. I understand you were only being protective of your territory." Zak added, before he gestured to Marina's band, "May I?"

She held her arm as confirmation, giving a small nod as he held her wrist in his hand and looked over the band. He could see what was probably a serial number printed along the side of the shiny metal, but other then that, there wasn't much else to look at. Though Shade was curious about what the 'markings' meant. Of course, Zak thought, he had forgotten that animals wouldn't be able to understand human writing, nor speech. Inspecting the band closer, the Greywing could see the tiniest of gaps where the band would almost completely close but stayed open near Marina's wing membrane.

"Can you make anything of it? You almost look like you know of them much more then my colony did." Marina piped up, looking just as curious as Zak was.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to see if maybe there's some way I can remove this for you. But I don't think it's possible without hurting you in the process." He sighed, letting go of her hand, "I don't know too much about the bands, just what the others in the shelter told me about them." When Marina looked at him confused, he elaborated, "Oh, right, after I left my colony I got injured. Not sure how but I woke up in a shelter for other sick and injured animals. I was with other bats there and the humans took care of us all. That's actually where I made a few first friends, too."

With a smile, Zak told Shade and Marina about the four other bats he had met. Alden, Nuri, Agatone and Grania. Shade pointed out that he never seen or heard anyone of that name in his colony, perhaps coming from another neighboring Silverwing colony. Marina found that Nuri sounded familiar, though she never really talked to him or knew him much before she received her band. She merely assumed he had left the colony. She rolled her eyes when the Greywing told her that Nuri was fine and was merely reaping the benefits of living in the shelter, endless supply of bugs and a comfortable place to stay.  
But Marina was perplexed and surprised when she learned how Zak had forgotten how to fly and had to be taught by the quartet. Though it impressed her to see that, clearly, he had gotten the hang of his wings once more. Then another subject came up from her.

"So that's why you smell that way," She half smiled, "That scent of human on you. I never noticed it until we started talking but I didn't want to say anything. So you've learned a little bit about them, right? Maybe something about these bands and why we're given them?"

Zak froze for a moment. Unsure whether or not to tell Marina just how much he truly knew. But what would that look like for him? It would give away his true identity as a human, and he wasn't sure on how she and Shade would react to the news.

Luckily, Shade spoke for him.

"Frieda told me about something called the Promise. I mean, she showed me a story while we were in the Echo Chamber of our home. That one day soon all of us will be free to fly in the daylight and the law will no longer keep us bats from fearing the beasts and the birds. Maybe the bands are part of that? I remember seeing something like a ring of light, almost like yours and Freida's band." Marina started looking a little more hopefully at her band.

"The Promise," She repeated softly, "Hey Shade. Zak. I've gotten used to being alone for a few months now. But, after what you guys told me? I think it's time for me to leave this place too. I want to meet Frieda, the others bats who are banded, and ask her more about them and the Promise." A smile slowly grew on her face as she looked at both males, then focused on Shade, "I want to come with you guys." The males looked at each other, then at Marina.

Zak then smiled as he stood up and stretched his arms, turning and flexing them as if to prepare for a marathon.

"Well, we've all had a good meal, we got some proper rest; and we've still got plenty of time to fly before sunrise," He turned to the pair, "So when do we leave?"

-

**Elsewhere, in a Human lab...**

-

The enclosure was spacious. That much was for certain. The heated air made it feel just a little more at home, too. Almost like the jungles back down south. But it wasn't truly home. It was nothing but a fake recreation of familiar territory.

The purple haired bat sighed before spotting a white mouse wandering on the floor below him. They weren't exactly the most appetizing meals the fake jungle had to offer. He found them to be rather bland and watery. They had meat on their bodies, sure, but he was easily able to bite through them once to kill them and then swallowing them whole if he had to. But also, there were very few tossed into this horrid place to begin with. Especially since he wasn't alone. As he leaped off of the branch he had been roosting from, the larger bodied bat came to a halt when a much bigger and stronger bat appeared immediately and scooped up the mouse with a snarl. Crunching it down with only a few bites before swallowing, the faintest drop of blood running down his lip before the red haired male wiped it away with a scoff, glaring up at the other male.

Goth was his name. Prince Goth of the royal family, of the Vampyrum Spectrum to be exact. He was a large specimen. Large in terms of not only his size in general, but also his muscular stature. He sported a very athletic and powerful body, muscles rippled and twitched from his legs, to his midsection and even to his arms; which housed gigantic wings that could propel him forward at amazing speeds to catch his prey. But the small mice they were being fed weren't enough for Goth, who immediately went off to see if he could find the rest scurrying about. But not before giving the purple haired bat another low growl before skulking off. The bat in question only sighed and went his own way, though not very far due to the size of the enclosure.

His name was Throbb, also of the Vampyrum Spectrum, though one of a more shorter breeds that existed. He too was a prince himself, but only by an age old law. His mother, the queen of his colony and kingdom, married Goth's father; who was the king of his own kingdom and colony as well. So he and Goth were brother-in-laws. Or half brothers, he never really knew which sounded better. Or made more sense, for that matter. He wasn't as impressive as Goth was, mainly due to the fact that he was far more heavyset then him. He sported a soft and somewhat non-threatening frame, and his royal diet truly shown through with the rounded belly on him. But what nobody had known was that he did have muscle of his own hidden beneath the soft layer of fat around his body. Throbb was a good flyer himself, rarely ever getting winded when flying for long periods of time, and it helped him numerous times when hunting and catching his meals. Though once he and Goth became siblings by law, hunting for his own meals became a thing of the past. As they grew older, Goth became more harsh and possessive of whatever prey was around. Even when Throbb had caught his meal fair and square, the taller Vampyrum would always be nearby to wrestle his meal away from him. In another world, Throbb would have just cowered beneath his half sibling's powerful and imposing aura.

But he wasn't like that in the slightest. Throbb knew how to fend for himself and his catches whenever situations like that happened. Once Goth had tried to take a succulent lizard he had caught, but the chubbier male stood his ground and firmly wrestled against Goth's own powerful jaws, teeth clamped onto the dead lizard at both ends. In the end, Throbb managed to tear off a bigger half of the lizard and was able to eat. But by now, after being captured and brought to this fake jungle, he was just too tired of dealing with the other male's behaviour. So now, he too just skulked through the fake trees and foliage, searching for the other mice that ran. He itched at the bronze colored band on his left wrist. The darn thing was chafing his skin.

Meanwhile, Goth was glowering towards a large pane of glass peering into the enclosure. A prison, he thought in his mind. That's what this place was. The Humans had brought them here, who knows where, away from their jungle home. He absolutely loathed this place. It was one thing not being able to tell where exactly this fake jungle was located. But it was another matter entirely when all these Humans did to him was poke him and handle him as if he were nothing but a plaything. The things they touched him with were either long sticks that crackled with lightning, and when they touched him they sent a huge bout of pain through his body, or they would stick him with sharp objects that would put some sort of liquid inside him. But what he hated the most was when they would hold his head still and shine bright lights into his eyes.  
All he could think about during those times was that these filthy Humans were trying to figure out how his kinds night vision worked. No doubt trying to steal it for themselves. It made Goth snarl as he stayed staring at the glass wall that separated him and the Humans inside who often sat there and watched him and Throbb. That was another thing he hated. Only once, from what he could recall, did the Humans take Throbb to do their experiments on him before they left him alone for good. Perhaps that was a good thing, in a way.

Goth had considered eating the fat male awhile ago, something much more filling then the puny mice they were always given. But the Vampyrum didn't go through with it. Not because he felt any sort of guilt for even thinking of the idea. But because he had use for Throbb. He needed his help to escape this forsaken place. But when it was time, he did not know just yet. Goth had found a vent in the farthest corner of the room, perhaps it lead somewhere. Maybe to the outside. But there was no way of knowing if that was even possible. For all he knew, the vents could go anywhere but outside. He and Throbb would just wind up getting lost and trapped.  
The familiar hiss of the hidden door reached Goth's ears. He growled as the first of two Humans stepped in. He tried attacking them once before, biting and clawing at them, but they were wearing some sort of protective layer of animal hide. And it only earned him his first experience with the lightning sticks. While hanging from his roost, Goth just spread his wings and hissed at them. The only response he got was the unintelligible language the Humans spoke, before one raised some sort of object at the large bat. Goth only had a second to realize what it was before a dart shot out of the item and into his body. It was the sleep darts. Goth cursed to himself as the uncontrollable sleep took over and he blacked out.

The two Human scientists just nodded to one another as soon as the specimen was asleep, one carefully grabbing and removing the bat from his roost before leaving the room in an orderly fashion. They'd put him back after they ran more tests on him.

-

**Above Marina's island...and climbing higher...**

-

"Uhhh, how much higher do we have to go?"

"What we're looking for it's only up high. It'll help make the trip a little better. What's the matter? Afraid of heights? That's a first for a bat."

"Hey, I'm just wondering why we have to go so high to begin with!"

Zak couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange between the Silverwing and Brightwing. He just followed along behind them, occasionally moving faster so he could be beside them as they flew higher and higher into the sky.

"We're looking for a slipstream," Marina began to explain to the two males, "I've had a few experiences with them, they can really come in handy if you want your flight to be faster and shorter. Once you're inside one of these streams we'll be able to get back to the mainland in no time."

"Ah. Alright, I think I got it." Shade muttered, clearly showing that he didn't exactly enjoy the fact that Marina knew a whole lot more then he did.

"It's the best thing for us to listen to her, Shade," Zak reminded him gently, "She really knows her stuff. Plus, doesn't the slipstream idea sound cool? At least we won't have to worry about getting tired and possibly falling into the ocean, right?" Shade just glanced back down at the dark expanse of the water below, giving a quick nod in silent agreement. After a few more wingbeats, Marina stopped ascending and was now circling the air. Her nose twitching as she sniffed the air itself. Her ears perked up suddenly.

"Can you guys smell it? I think we're close to one."

Both Shade and Zak turned their noses to the air and sniffed. Both were looking for a peculiar smell, if a slipstream had such a thing, but all they smelled was the salty air of the sea itself. The winds were stronger, too, so much so that both males were worried about being blown away like they were in the storm. They just turned back to Marina as she moved toward one lone direction before she called out to them.

"Here! This is it!"

Once they followed after her, Zak was surprised to feel as if something was pushing him forward, plus the wind felt like it suddenly changed directions. With each beat of his wings it felt like he was being propelled much faster then before. Shade gave a little excited laugh as he went passed the Greywing with the newfound speed.

"Woohoo! Marina, this is awesome!"

"See? Told ya'!" Both the male and female replied in unison, then looking at each before chuckling.

"Why haven't I heard of slipstreams before? My mom never said anything about these! This makes it so much faster then just flying normally!"

"I don't think anyone is really aware of them, really," Marina grinned proudly, "I only learned about them myself awhile ago. Cool, huh? Look, dead ahead, there's the mainland coming up now!"

From the island, the mainland looked so far away and would have taken at least a couple of hours to reach it. But thanks to the slipstream Marina showed them, it was coming up a lot faster then they anticipated. It was a relief, as well. There was no more worry of falling into the ocean if they were to get exhausted. It wasn't until they got closer to land that a sudden flash of light got the trio's attention.

"Hey, that's the tower!" Shade alerted excitedly, "We're going the right way!"

"The old lighthouse? It's neat, isn't it? The Humans use it to tell them there's rocks where they're drifting towards and to keep clear of it."

Shade gave a look, a little annoyed yet impressed that Marina knew so much more then he and Zak did. Well, the Greywing knew some stuff too, like the giant bats he had mentioned a few nights ago. Maybe that would really impress Marina, too? He just shook his head and stayed focused on flying, as did the other two. As much as it was nice to chat they were all saving their breath for the steady flight. It wasn't much further before they reached the lighthouse itself, the sky beginning to slowly brighten from the east. They were truly lucky to have found the slipstreams, otherwise they would've been cutting it close.  
Banking around the tall structure itself, the trio found a fallen birch tree, and a hidden hollow to give themselves a proper and safe place to roost for the day. It didn't take long after they all settled down that Shade immediately drifted off to sleep. Zak glanced sympathetically at the teen.

'Poor little guy. After everything he's been through he must need the sleep.' The Greywing himself gave a stretch as Marina roosted beside him, the young adult between the two.

"Sure beats getting stuck out in the daylight, huh?" She sighed, she too giving her wings a big stretch, showing her impressive wingspan before settling down, "Listen, I know it doesn't feel like much, but...I want to apologize for how much of a jerk I sounded back on the island. It's not that I wasn't interested in hearing your story, I was just looking out for myself."

"You don't have to apologize, Marina. I understand." The Greywing just smiled, speaking softly so as not to disturb Shade's rest, "If I were in your shoes, I would have done the same thing. Keep my territory safe and make sure that whatever strangers have arrived won't cause any problems. So it's okay, no harm done at all. Though, maybe try not to tease Shade about his size too much. I'll let him explain it to you when he's awake, but just keep that in mind, okay?"

"Alright, alright, I hear you. Though I can't make any promises, sometimes it's a little fun to rile him up at times." Marina admitted. Her ears tilted in a confused way before she looked back at Zak, "By the way, what do you mean by shoes? Is that like something the Greywings say or...what? And what are shoes, anyway?"

Zak just looked at her like he didn't know what she was asking. He had to be careful he didn't let too many human expressions loose.

**In the City...**

—

Ariel anxiously looked across the expanse of towering Human structures. Seemingly scanning for something nobody else could see. Though she wasn't looking for something. But someone. After the storm two nights ago, and witnessing her own son plummet to the clouds below, she had been desperately waiting to see if he would, by some miracle, show up and rejoin the colony. It wasn't just her son she was worried for. Zak had willingly dove down after Shade, even surpassing Mercury's own speed to try and save him. That was the last she saw of the pair, disappearing beneath the clouds and their screams fading away amongst the thunder. Mercury himself had came to her and apologized for not being able to reach Shade in time. He felt shame, not only for failing, but also for letting someone else take the sacrifice for him. He wasn't jealous nor angered that Zak went after the young Silverwing. He just felt guilty for losing not one colony member but two.

The mother just told him she did not blame him in the slightest and knew he had tried. After the incident she had asked, almost begged, Frieda to wait for her Zak and her son. Hoping dearly that they were alive and would find their way back to the colony. They both had the sound map, so they should've been able to find their way. But one night turned into two, and the colony had moved along to the City. Now with dawn coming, the Silverwing was beginning to lose hope. No sign of Shade. And no sign of Zak.

"I am sorry for your loss, Ariel," A familiar rough voice spoke behind her, "But you must understand. Your son was bound to not be able to make the journey on his own. Not without your help, that is." Ariel turned around and faced Bathsheba, her gaze hardening at the elder's own, "We can't wait here forever. With every night that passes the weather gets colder. We'll need to keep moving once night arrives. If your son and the outsider are indeed still alive, they will catch up to us. For now, we must sleep."

As the elder returned inside the church where they were roosting, Ariel turned to look at the horizon one last time. As much as she hated to admit and agree with the abrasive female, she knew it was true. They needed to keep moving before winter befell them before they could even reach Hibernaculum.

'Shade. My son. Zak. You kind soul. I hope both of you return. Nocturna be your guide. I will never give up on you.'

She turned and went back inside, roosting with Bartho and Ben who had been silently huddled together. The both of them were just as worried and scared for Shade as she was. The Greenwing was also blaming himself for not being there to save Shade. Ariel made sure he knew he was not at fault, but due to the close relationship he shared with her son, having met him when he was only a newborn; Bartho could not shake the feeling away. Ben, while not like Bartho, was a little more confident that Shade and Zak would be able to make it back to them. Though his body language showed what he was really feeling. The constant wringing of his hands was a habit he developed when he was much younger. Ariel just gave a soft and comforting smile at her two boys, before bringing her wings around them in a warm embrace, which they gratefully nuzzled into.

Even though they weren't her children by blood, Ariel greatly loved Ben and Bartho as if they were her own. She didn't love them greater then she did Shade, but she made sure they knew that she loved them all equally.

All three prayed to Nocturna to bring not just the colony, but also Shade and Zak, a safe journey.

They were going to need it.

====


	7. City Lights & Starry Skies Pt1

**Chapter 6: City Lights & Starry Skies (Part 1)**

* * *

"Hey. Zak. Time to get up."

The Greywing took a deep and slow intake of air, sleepily arching his back before settling back down again. There was a soft tap on his shoulder now. The voice whispered a little louder.

"Zak! C'mon, sun went down half an hour ago."

Finally, just as he felt a pair of hands touch his back and began to rock him, he opened his bleary eyes and yawned.

"Okay. Okay, up. I'm up." He stretched his arms back and groaned restfully, "I'm up. Shade, up and at 'em." He looked to his left where the Silverwing was sleeping, and indeed, the teen was still sleeping soundly. He gave a few more insistent taps before the teen finally began to stir and unfurled his wings, mouth widening with a yawn before smacking his lips softly.

"When did the sun go down?"

"Half an hour ago. I would have woken you sooner, but you guys looked like you really needed the rest. You especially, Shade." Marina mused as she ran a claw through her hair, clearing it of any knots before she began to bathe herself. Licking part of her hand before rubbing it against her face.

_'So that's what spit washing is. That...is kind of gross up close.'_ Zak grimaced, dropping from his roost to properly stretch himself out. And to clean himself without smelling like his own spit. Did bat spit have no scent? He did not know. Though out of curiosity, he gave it a try for himself. He licked at the back of his hand first, immediately noting how odd it was to be licking the leathery skin of his wing. After being sure he had enough saliva he hesitantly brought it up to his face. But the second the wet patch touched him he drew back. _'Ick, nope. Can't do it. I'm just going to stick with washing with fresh water.'_

Wiping his hand against the bark of the hollow he made his way to the entrance. This night was much calmer and clear. He could see the glimmer of stars and smell the ocean, along with the forest nearby. He could hear Marina and Shade talking about where his colony was going next. Though when it came to how long the colony had already been travelling, Shade had guessed.

"Two nights? I think?" Marina gave him a look at the answer.

"You _think_ or you _know_?"

"I know it! I know it, I mean. It's been a couple of nights we were travelling." Despite how confident he sounded, Shade glanced over at Zak, "Right? About two nights, at least?"

"Yeah, two nights, Shade," He nodded, "I'd imagine they must be at the City now, at least. We've only been at the island for a night."

Marina gave a little smile, assured by the answer, "Alright, great. Now that we know that, it shouldn't be a problem to catch up to them. As long as we know the route to take. You guys know where to go, right?"

"Yeah, his mother gave us the sound map in case we got separated. Well, really glad we got it, considering."

"Good! That'll make things easier. Would you mind bringing it up for us so we know where to go?"

Shade gave a look at Marina like he was disappointed she didn't ask him first. But he curiously glanced up at Zak to see if he could do it. The Greywing just stared at the girl, quickly glanced off to the side and back to her.

"Sure? But...how do I do that, exactly? I mean, remember, I was injured. Forgot how my own wings worked, right?" Marina furrowing her brow at him in disbelief made him feel a little nervous.

"You just try and visualize the map in your head while trying to hum the same note you heard," Shade quickly interjected, "But wait, how do you know it won't do something to you like when my mother sang it to you?"

"It'll be okay, Shade, maybe it'll work out fine. I just need to sit so I can properly concentrate."

"Wait, what happened when you got the map?" Marina asked, but got no answer as the Greywing seated himself on the floor in a cross-legged fashion.

He repeated Shade's words on how to call up the sound map. Concentrate. Hum, or try to, the same sound that he heard from Ariel. Sounded easy enough, but whether he got it or not was yet to be seen. Both teenagers just watched him expectantly. Then, he began to hum.  
It was a soft and even sound. He just kept his mouth and let his breath out through his nose, eyes closed as he felt the vibrations of his vocal chords go through his head. Like before there was nothing. But the longer he kept it up, the images slowly started coming back to him. And like before they were overwhelming. He almost faltered as he felt the dizziness begin again. Shade and Marina watched as the Greywing's body began to softly quiver. But much more then normal. Blood slowly began to drip from his nose again. First a drop. Then it began to slowly run down over his lips and chin. Despite that he kept humming the same tone, though it shook as he did.

Marina glanced worriedly from Zak and then to Shade, wondering if this was a normal reaction to have. But before she could properly ask, the Silverwing immediately went over to the older male and shook his shoulders hard. Zak's eyelids began to twitch and flutter open, and closed, with building speed.

"Zak, stop! Stop! Hey! You can stop!"

Fortunately that was enough to snap him out of it. His eyes went back to normal and took a gasp of air, as if he had been submerged in water. He took deep breaths as he leaned onto his legs. Shade asked if he was alright and he nodded. He just needed a moment like before.

"What in Nocturna was that? Is that normal?"

"I guess my Echo abilities need time to get back to me, too. Ariel sang it to me all at once, so it's a lot to try and process." Zak shuddered, wiping his nose clean, "I'll be okay. Shade could you maybe, uh, call up your map?"

"Uhh, okay. I'll try." So he did. But only for a moment before it was too much for him, though he just hissed and held his head for a moment as a result from the strain, "It's all too much of a blur! I know my mom wanted me to have it all just in case, but it's hard! Marina, maybe we can use yours?"

Marina just gave a sarcastic grin.

"Sure, that's a great idea!" Then the sarcasm was gone, "If we were looking for my colony, which, let me remind you; I do not want to do. And before you suggest it, trying to sing your map to me won't work either. You're a Silverwing. I'm a Brightwing. Our echoes aren't the same. You'd only end up messing things up. And don't look so cocky about it! I see the corners of your mouth twitching!"

Shade tried not to grin at the realization that only he, aside from Zak, could read the map. At least now he had a leg up on Marina, he thought.

"Well, from what I managed to see, we just need to keep going along the coast," He said as he stood on the ledge of the entrance, readying to fly, "We should get going so we can catch up."

"Shade, hang on, don't you want to eat first?" Marina stopped him, "We're all going to need the energy to fly, you know."

As much as he didn't want to lag behind the colony, Shade had to admit that he was hungry. Very hungry after barely eaten much the previous night. But he was worried about the all the precious time they'd waste trying to catch insects. Every second that passes was several wingbeats gone. The colony would be far away by the time they'd finish.

Zak's stomach suddenly gave off a loud grumble. He gave a small sheepish look.

"Sorry. But speaking of, Shade, the colony has to eat, too. Don't they?" At that, Shade visibly relaxed and nodded. That didn't occur to him until it was mentioned. At least now he knew there was still a chance of catching up to them.

"And besides," Marina quipped, "It looks like you could use a good meal. Are all Silverwings small like you?"

"No, they're not!" Shade's cheeks reddened, "If you need to know why, I was born a runt. A runt, you get it? Excuse me if my smaller then average size is weird to you!" He turned his back to her as he prepared to take off, muttering under his breath, "Let's just go and eat. I bet Silverwings are better hunters then Brightwings, anyway." Marina hear him anyway.

"Oh, is that a challenge? Let's just see about that, huh?" She stepped up to the entrance to follow after him, before she noticed Zak looking at her with arms crossed and stern gaze. She just looked back at him, ears turning back a from the look on his face, "What. What? What did I say?" The Greywing just shook his head and moved up beside her.

"You really need to work on your social skills."

With a short leap he took off flying, Marina following after him.

"Hey, in my defense, I genuinely thought that all Silverwings are small!"

"And didn't I tell you not to tease him about his size before we left the island?"

"Well, yeah. But still."

"Marina, he gets enough crap about it from Chinook, he doesn't need it from-! You know what, forget it. I don't want to speak for Shade. I need to wash myself and you just go hunt."

"Chinook? Who's he? Is he handsome? Cute?" Marina meant it jokingly, of course. She had no idea if Chinook was a guy or a girl. Either way, she didn't mind which was which. There was actually one female she had been admiring back in her colony. Before she had gotten her band, that is. As well as the other female did.

"Nevermind!" Zak exasperated.

She was definitely a tomboy, he thought. She had personality. Even if it was a little exhausting to deal with.

A little while later, Marina suggested a competition on who could eat the most mosquitoes. A thousand was the marked goal. The pair tried asking if Zak wanted in. The Greywing politely turned down the challenge, opting to just find and eat his meals at a comfortable pace. Though after Shade and Marina went off to find their bugs, he secretly kept track of how many mosquitoes he had eaten while hunting other delicious things like beetles and moths. Zak just stayed in his own area, which luckily was filled with plenty of the tiny blood-sucking bugs.  
After eating his fill, and a bit more after remembering Todd and Breeze's advice on prepping for winter, the Greywing was relaxing on a hammock-like branch in the trees. Nothing felt better then resting after a large meal, he thought. He heard and saw Marina approaching before she rested beside him.

"You finished already?"

"Yup. Scored a good bunch flying around near a little pond." She stated proudly, then letting out a surprisingly loud burp, "Can't wait to see the look on his face when he's finished."

Not a minute later did the blonde show up and proudly state he had gotten a thousand mosquitoes. Marina just casually asked him what took him so long. Zak just listened to the banter the two shared, Shade in disbelief that she already reached the goal before he did, and her stating her victory proudly.

"Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Oh I did. You just didn't hear me before." She grinned proudly as he landed beside her, giving off another deep burp that surprised the Greywing. Shade grumbled to himself before he cringed and held his stomach.

"Ugh, I don't...I don't feel so good."

"Heh, serves you right."

"What do you mean, it was your idea in the first place!" Shade protested.

"Look, to be honest, it was nice at first but I'm not feeling too peppy either. Let's just call it a tie, huh?"

"No," The Silverwing boldly stated, "Not just yet. Zak hasn't told us how many he got yet."

"Hey, I didn't want to join in, remember?" The Greywing rebutted, "Don't try and drag me into this."

"C'mon, I know you've mostly been eating mosquitoes the whole time Marina and I were getting ours! Just tell us!" Marina was now looking expectantly at him too. Both of the teenagers were waiting to see if there was a tie breaker. Zak let a grin form as he sat up. He looked like he was getting ready to speak, before a belch escaped him. After excusing himself, he prepared the reveal.

"I had eaten...one thousand." Shade visibly deflated, Marina just gave a little smile that it was a tie. Until, "And two."

"_What?!_" Both teenagers gasped.

"You heard me. One thousand and two. No miscount. No lie. A thousand. And two. I think that's my own personal record, there!"

After the tie breaker and letting their meals settle enough for the flight, the trio was on their way to their next destination. They flew in a somewhat triangular formation, Shade and Marina in the front while Zak lingered a little behind them. The air was chilly and down below they could see frost blanketing the ground. They kept the coast on their left side, flying high enough so that they were able to travel without any issues from the wind, but also so they could see the land below and beyond. There were a few cars driving along a stretch of road that followed along the coast.

It reminded Zak of how much he actually missed being inside a moving vehicle. The journey only taking a few minutes or an hour depending on where he was going. It sure beat flying, that much was certain. But if he had to be really honest, flying was amazing, especially doing it on his own rather then being in a plane.

"Hey guys, I've been curious about something," Marina wondered aloud, "Do you think the Humans will help us? About the Promise?"

"My father seemed to think so." Shade mused, "He left the colony years ago to try and figure it out for himself. Trying to learn about the bands and what they meant."

"And the sun? Wouldn't we go blind?"

"Only if you were to stare directly into it for too long," Zak added, "But let me tell you this. It's amazing, for sure. It's light is warm. most of all. Sure, everything is still beautiful at night, but think of how all of this will look bathed in sunlight." He gestured with his head to the land around them.

"I thought you guys only saw a little bit of it before that owl chased you down?"

"Well, yeah, but that's the issue. The birds and beasts don't want us to see it or even have it. Imagine how good it would be for all batkind to have the sun back. We'd probably grow bigger and stronger, so much that we wouldn't even need to worry about the owls hunting us down anymore! We can talk with the other Silverwing males who were banded in my colony. That's...if we can even catch up to them."

"Well, they're going along the coast, right? How do we know when to change course to head for the City?"

"From what I remember seeing in the map, we're looking for a place that has a lot of lights. Bright ones. It shouldn't be hard to miss." Zak shared.

"That's right. They almost look like stars, but instead of being in the sky they're on the ground. Huge shapes, too!" Shade explained excitedly.

"I know it, I've been there only once before. What are we looking for exactly, Shade? Any particular landmarks in the map?"

"There's one tall tower with a big cross at the tip of it. I heard something ringing, loudly, but there's something else to it. I think I saw some stars? But how do they help us to figure out where to go next?"

"A constellation, maybe?" Zak questioned, "Your colony uses the stars to navigate, don't they?"

"Guys, shh!" Marina hushed them suddenly, coming to stop and hovering in place, "Do you hear that?"

Shade and Zak paused, their ears turning and twitching as they listened for what the Brightwing had heard. It was faint at first. But the more they listened the more clear it became.

Wingbeats. Lots of them. Shade's eyes lit up in excitement as he looked around frantically.

"Wings! I can hear wings! There! Over there!" Off in the distance to their right they spotted a colony of bats. "I think that's them! We found them! It has to be!" The Silverwing cried out happily before he took off with sudden burst of speed. Marina and Zak trailed after him.

"Do you think they'll like me? I mean, what do I even say? Hey, I'm the new friend of the guys who just got your roost burned down? You know, the ones who got lost in the storm and totally didn't die?" Zak only smiled at her.

"Introduce yourself however you like. There's a few good bats I can show you."

"Hey! Hello! Mother! Bartho! Ben, it's me! Shade! I'm okay! I'm...okay." As they got closer his voice faltered and then died down. The colony of bats slowed down a little as three who were trailing in the back flew over. Marina and Zak slowed down beside the Silverwing as they approached. The excitement that had once been on his face completely melted away into a downcast look of disappointment. "It...it's not them. It's not my colony." He and the other two landed on a tree to rest and properly focus on the visitors.

They were Greywings. Rather well-groomed and shiny furred. Unlike Zak, who's fur was a little more matte and a bit scruffy in places. Though he did not mind in the slightest.

"Hey. Where are the three of you headed?" The one in the center, Zak mentally named him Middle, asked.

"Did you get separated from your colonies? A Silverwing, Greywing and a Brightwing together? Must have been some luck for that to happen." The right, Shade's left, added. Righty.

"We're looking for a colony of Silverwings. Have you seen them, by any chance?"

"Sorry, we came in from the northwest," The Greywing from the left spoke up, Lefty, "We did see other colonies along the way but no Silverwings, as far as we know. Where were they going? We can point you in the right direction."

"South. Down the coast and then to the city."

"Then they shouldn't be too far ahead of us. How did you three get lost in the first place?"

"We hit a bad storm two nights ago," Zak explained, "Me and my friend here were lucky to have found shelter and some some company." He pointed to Marina.

"The city's not exactly the best place for us bats," Middle spoke, "But hey, we're going to head around the city and keep heading south. You're welcome to come with us. I'm guessing all three of you are heading to the same Silverwing colony?"

The offer was nice. Shade, Marina and Zak looked over to the rest of the Greywings who had slowed down enough so they wouldn't leave behind the Lefty, Middle and Righty. Families were all there. Some of them were taking the quick break to hunt for some lingering insects. At least they'd be in the company of other grownups in case something happened. Shade thought it would be good idea to be in a huge group. Zak was thinking it would be nice to get to know the colony that he was supposed to be in. But at the same, wasn't.

Marina, however, was nervous. And for a good reason.

Before either of them could give their answer, Righty happened to glance over at Marina and visibly recoiled when he spotted the metallic shimmer of her band.

"She has a band." He hissed urgently, the other two reacting as he did by moving away from the trio with much more cautious gazes. Marina's ears folded back, realizing her error too late as she went to cover her band. It did very little now that it had already been seen.

"I know she's banded," Shade replied in a matter of fact manner, "But just listen-"

"Are you out of your mind, boy?" Lefty gawped, "You know what the bands mean, don't you? She'll only bring bad luck on us all!"

"Didn't your mother teach you anything about them? She's only going to bring nothing but death upon the colony." Middle added. Each word she heard, Marina looked away shamefully.

"Hey, now just wait a second," Zak moved in front of his friends protectively, "I've heard the stories about the bands, too. But they can't possibly be true. Do you think we'd even be alive right now if they were?"

"Look, the two of you are free to travel with us," Middle looked at the young adult and teenager, but cast an almost venomous look at Marina, "But the Brightwing is not welcome. Regardless if the curse hasn't fallen upon you two already."

Shade just stared at the three Greywings, almost defiantly, then over to Zak before he made his decision.

"If she can't come with us, then I'm not going. I'm not leaving her alone out here." Marina's eyes widened a little.

"Fine. Suit yourself. What about you?" Middle looked at Zak now, "A fellow Greywing would be good company. Surely you'd like to travel with us? You may be from a different colony, but being amongst your own would be much better then being around a cursed Brightwing and her friend."

Shade and Marina both looked at him with unsure faces. Would he take the offer and leave them behind? Would he really do such a thing to them? It seemed like he was considering his decision. But like Shade, Zak looked back at the trio in front of him.

"Look, I'm not going to lie to you. I've only known these two for only a few nights," He gestured to the teens, "As far as I'm concerned they've become the best company I've had ever since I first ended up on my own out here. Who cares if she's banded? I'm not leaving my friends behind. Thank you, though, for the offer. But I'm staying with them." The adult just gave a soft nod, a slightly disappointed but understanding look on his face.

"Suit yourself. Want my advice? I'd be careful around her." Middle pointed at Marina with his chin.

"If I want your advice, I'll _ask_ for it." Zak replied sharply.

Taking that as their cue to leave, the three Greywings rejoined their colony and soon they began to move inland. Away from the city. And away from them.

The next few minutes were spent in silence, Zak now leading the formation as they kept in the direction they needed to go. Finding the city wouldn't be too hard, Zak thought. It was a common thing that the abundance of bright lights would make a very visible glow from a distance. Straight ahead, he swore he could see that same glow.

"I'm sorry," Marina said suddenly, "I should've covered my band. I thought they were your colony." Shade only shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, Marina. I don't understand it, though. Why do they think the bands are such bad luck, anyway? There has to be something more to the stories then what your colony heard. Something had to have happened to make them so scared."

"You guys should have just gone with them," Her tone had suddenly gone sharp, "There was nothing stopping you there."

"Marina, we're not doing that! I already said I wasn't going to leave-!"

"You would be safer with them. Without me, you would have had better company. No possible risk of death without me around."

"Hey, c'mon," Zak sighed, "We made our choice already. We're sticking with-"

"Does it look like I need your company?" Marina raised her voice, "I was used to being alone. I didn't need anybody. I don't need my colony, I don't need you guys and I don't need _your_ colony! I'm fine with being on my own!" Everyone froze, hovering in the air as Zak and Shade looked at the Brightwing. Surprise, but mostly great concern, written on their faces. She just stared back at them, eyes hard, before she sighed fitfully, "I...I'm...just forget it. Let's just...find the city, alright." She proceeded to fly ahead of the two males. They just looked on after before they went to catch up to her.

But after flying for a few more minutes the three travelers reached the outskirts of the city. To the Greywing it looked like a large part of the residential area just outside of the glowing metropolis. He sighed and stopped to land on the roof of an apartment building.

"Marina, Shade, let's stop for a moment. I need to talk to you guys." His voice was steady. It was enough to get both teenagers to stop and land close by him. Shade just looked at him expectantly, yet a little nervously. Marina just crossed her arms and looked off to the side. He took a breath, "Listen, about what happened with those Greywings back there. Truth be told, I was not expecting that response from them either. They're a superstitious bunch, I'll give them that. But that doesn't mean what they said about you right." He looked at Marina, who in turn finally looked at him. "Just because they heard some stories about the bands being bad luck doesn't make them true. And it's wrong for them to assume that someone with a band is immediately bad. Or cursed."

The Brightwing ran her claw along the metal idly, looking down at it as it reminded her of what she had heard already. She wondered if what Zak was saying was true. She was so focused on her band she didn't notice he had stepped closer to her, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Marina, did you really mean what you said back there?" He asked her softly. He wasn't angry. He wasn't upset. He just seemed concerned, "About wanting us to go with the Greywings instead of staying with you?" Shade looked on at the two of them, but now mostly glancing at the Brightwing to hear her answer. Her brow lowered. Her words had sounded so angry earlier.

"No," She uttered, "No, I...I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, it's just...just that having my own parents and colony reject me was one thing. The idea of losing you two, the only two bats who accepted me even after learning about the bands? I'm scared. Alright? I'm just scared of losing the only two friends I've made. At least, I _hope_ we're friends. I thought that it would be easier if you went ahead with that other colony. So I wouldn't have to face being rejected again. I guess I am cursed, in a way. Cursed to have those I care about leave me."

She felt a slight weight on her shoulder, realizing that it was Zak's hand resting on it. She looked back up and only saw kindness in his eyes. He was smiling a little as he said something that would stick with her for years to come.

"Hey, just because you've got a band it doesn't change who you are. Some might judge you on the outside, but the most important thing is who you are on the inside. It doesn't matter to Shade and I whether you have a band or not. _You_ are still _you_. I can honestly say that, even though you're a little rough around the edges, I'm glad to have met you. And I do consider you a friend in the time we've known each other."

Marina just stared at him with a blank expression. But her watering eyes was a sure sign that what he had just told her had hit its mark. Zak's smile faded a little out of concern of her reaction.

"Uhh. You good, Marina?" Her eyes began to well up with tears so much they were threatening to fall, "Sorry, was that a little too much?"

Snapping back to reality, she quickly turned her back to the Greywing, coughing as if to clear her throat as she wiped at her eyes and face. She took a few deep breaths, sniffled once, then she glanced back at him.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. I'm fine, it's just...got something in my eye." She sniffed, giving one last little wipe to her eye before turning around fully, "Thanks for that. For what you said. I...I didn't know that I really needed to hear that. It feels good, knowing that having a band doesn't change me. At least, not mentally or emotionally." She laughed softly, "But, again, thanks for that. And...well, you've got a good heart, I can tell. I'm glad that I met you, too."

She looked at Shade and quickly ruffled his hair before he could even protest, grinning, "And you, you little goofball. I think it's a sign that I met you guys."

"You think so? Well, I'm just happy that I met you when I thought I was alone. I don't know what I would've done if it had just been me on the island." The Silverwing smiled, fixing up his hair.

The Greywing just smiled at the two, feeling glad he managed to lift her spirits. And having found two new friends in this new world.

"No thanks needed. I just want to make sure you're alright and know Shade and I will always be here with you." He turned his gaze towards the bright lights of the City. Their next destination right in front of them. "So, there it is. What did you say we were looking for again, Shade? A tower with a cross on top?"

"Yeah, that's it. There was something else too, like a ringing noise. It was sounded loud."

"Well, we're not going to find it if we just stand here," Marina quipped, "C'mon! Let's head on over there!" With a newfound enthusiasm, the Brightwing took off and began to fly towards the city itself. Shade immediately following after.

"Hey, wait up!"

Zak just chuckled as he took flight, trailing behind the pair as they made the rest of their journey. They made it this far. But whether or not the Silverwings were there remained to be seen.

* * *

**Inside the Human lab...**

* * *

He had been relentlessly biting and scratching at the accursed object that had been attached to his forearm. But no matter what he did, it just wouldn't come off. The Vampyrum even tried physically pulling at the bronze band in the hopes it would come loose. But nothing worked. He just ended up with sore teeth and a sore arm.

"Damn those filthy Humans!" Goth snarled to no one in particular, only to the glass wall where they watched him, "I'll make sure you all pay for imprisoning me! By Zotz I swear it!" They couldn't understand him, he knew this, but it felt good to just shout at them without worry of them coming after him. But at the same time it frustrated him when they didn't acknowledge him at times. He had just received his band after he had been taken by the Humans. There had been no band before that, only after he had awakened from the forced sleep did he see the new and horrid thing clamped onto him. He loathed it even more from the mere fact that it was the exact same band as that fat oaf Throbb. Speaking of, the other male was in his own area of the fake jungle, hanging by his hands from a branch and doing what looked like some form of exercise. Merely pulling himself up until his muzzle cleared the branch, then letting himself down, then pulling back up again. He had been at it for about fifteen minutes now.

Why he was doing this, Goth did not know, even though it lightly impressed him that a Vampyrum so short and fat even had the strength to do such a thing. Still though, that didn't mean he was his equal, in any sort of way. Throbb came from a slightly lesser line of species. Royal? Yes. But were they as perfect as he was? His species? No. They were short. Most tended to be fatter and with little to no muscle. And it reminded him of how his father's standards had fallen so low as to marry the queen of said species.

His large ears twitched when he heard activity behind the glass wall. He could hear the Humans talking to one another, see them moving around inside before not just one but all of them get up and leave from the room. Was this it? Was this the chance he was looking for to finally put his escape plan into action? He waited until the door inside had fully closed before he crawled up to the glass to have a closer look. His keen eyes scanned around inside, seeing the odd machines they used to keep an eye on him and the many objects to put him to sleep or shock him. No sign of Humans at all.

Now was the time.

"Throbb! Get over here! Hurry!" He barked, startling the heavier male before he flew over to where Goth perched himself, though wisely giving some space from him. They were near the only air vent inside the room, "It's time. Help me get this door off before those Humans come back." He immediately got to work on using his razor sharp claw to start carving a groove around the edges of vent cover. It was a concrete wall, yet Goth's claw sliced into the solid material like it was nothing, smoothly gliding along the very edges of the metal cover until he was satisfied with his work. That would help to loosen the cover some. Soon, both he and Throbb were gripping the gaps in the grate with one hand, carefully perched on either side as they pulled. Straining, Goth growled at his half brother, "Pull! Pull, Throbb! You want your freedom, do you not?!"

Goth's side began to loosen and break away from the vent wall itself. As did Throbb's side, coming undone just as fast with the two of them working together. With a loud but brief screech of metal, the grate finally came loose and the pair let it fall to the fake grass below them. With a triumphant laugh Goth immediately crawled inside the vent, eager to finally get out of this cursed place, the purple haired male following close behind him but silently.

Throbb wasn't sure what it was that unsettled him so much about the vents. It wasn't the unfamiliar scent of metal all around him. Or the constant echoes he was hearing as their claws scratched and clicked against the metallic surface as he followed behind Goth. Maybe it was the many different passage ways they would pass by, possible routes to freedom or just another way to get themselves lost. That's what he feared most. Losing their way inside these metal tunnels and never finding their way out.

Goth muttered something about smelling fresh air coming from somewhere. That gave them hope that there was a way out after all. He just kept following the larger male as they kept crawling and crawling, making turns here or thinking twice and taking a different path. Until finally even Throbb started smelling fresh air. It was coming from directly ahead of them. Though why was there so much wind all of a sudden? But he could hear some sort of constant whooshing sound. Goth had stopped moving so he had to peek past him to see what he was looking at.

There was a fan blocking their path. Spinning quite fast. Too fast for any of them to pass through safely.

"Throbb. Get up there and see if you can get through." Goth ordered, not even giving him a glance. Throbb just looked at the spinning blades apprehensively.

"Through that? You're joking, there's no way I can get through without getting ripped to shreds!"

"Just do it!"

"But-!" He didn't even get to finish when a rough hand grabbed a handful of his dark green mane and brought him right up close to the glowering and commanding eyes of the prince.

"Do! As I say!" He snarled at him, before pushing him forward towards the blades. Throbb just remained frozen as he looked at the spinning death trap. There was no way for him to get through unless he wanted to risk his life. It felt selfish to even think about it, but he didn't want to do it. He wanted to be able to go back home in the jungle. See his mother again. See Niko. He felt Goth swipe at his back to try and scare him into moving, but he didn't budge. Throbb looked around the vent for another option, until he spotted something laying abandoned down a vent right next to him. It was a metal rod. Picking it up he tested to see if it was sturdy enough to use. It felt solid, at least. Perhaps he could use it.

Looking back at the fan and adjusting his grip on the rod, he prepared to see if his plan would work. Goth just watched him impatiently and with confusion. He had to wait for the right moment. If he went to early the rod would only get blocked and make noise. He drew it and his arm back, keeping an eye on the blades and tightening his grip.

Goth suddenly snarled.

**"Hurry up!"**

He thrust the metal rod forward. With a loud clang of metal the constant breeze suddenly died down. The fan whirred and clicked loudly like it was trying to keep spinning but the rod was preventing it from doing so, stuck between it and part of the mesh cover that was supposed to keep any large object from getting through. Throbb just smiled proudly at the sight.

"It worked! Hey, it worked!" Goth only scoffed and pushed past the chubby male, growling under his breath that it would had been easier and faster to have used his own body to block it. Of course, Throbb thought, he was waiting for him to get hurt or worse. Sighing, he just followed the other male to the end of tunnel and then upwards. They came along one final grate before Goth bashed it open. With a victorious yell he leaped out into the open air.

"We're free! We're finally free-!"

But his voice caught in his throat when he got a look at his surroundings. Instead of being greeted by the familiar lush jungles and the humid air of his home, he saw nothing but the alien glow of a city in front of him and the brisk cool air of a place he had never seen before. And the foul smell of smoke and other foreign scents filled his nostrils. Where was he? This wasn't anywhere near his home. Goth turned his gaze up into the sky to see if the stars were still familiar.

They were not. Unfamiliar and new constellations had replaced the ones he had grown accustomed to. This wasn't the south, he realized. Another look around his surroundings confirmed his suspicions. There were no large trees that the jungle always had. There was only more Human buildings as far as he could see and more of their lights. There was so many sounds assaulting his ears. Nothing like that was around his home either.

"Where...? Where are we? Where did these Humans take us?" He questioned in disbelief, turning back to look at the large city. Throbb too was looking around before he gave a shiver as a cold wind blew past them.

"It's cold. Did they take us northern lands? The stars here aren't like the ones back home. They're all wrong."

That made sense, Goth thought, but it still angered and disappointed him that they were so far north to begin with. He took flight to get a better look at this new world, Throbb following close behind him. So many Human structures. All their strange mechanical machines rumbling down below. Goth hated it. And cold air was the worse thing. Already he felt shivers running through his body as they kept flying.

Throbb shuddered, "As much as it would be nice to be warm again, I'd rather not head back to that place." He was referring to the lab.

"That's the best idea I've heard out of you in awhile," Goth growled, silently agreeing with him though he wouldn't admit it, "But what we need is figure out a way back to the jungle. And get some food in our bellies. That'll warm us right up." Again, the thought of eating the fat Vampyrum came to his mind. He'd certainly make a filling meal and would keep him warm for at least a day or two. Still, he had plenty of use for him, so he pushed the idea far back in his mind.

"We should find food soon. We won't last long out here."

"Quiet. I need to think." He snapped. The red haired male carefully looked around, scanning the rooftops for whatever good prey was around. He thought he saw some movement. A closer inspection revealed some pigeons fluttering and cooing about on their perch. They looked to be healthy. Plenty of good meat on them, too. Goth smiled, revealing a set of teeth just as sharp and deadly as his claws.

"There we go, _mi amigo_," He crooned and turned to Throbb, "A meal."

Giving his talons a flex, he gave a quite snarl as he lunged.

* * *

**Almost an hour later...**

"Remind me what we're looking for again, Shade?" Marina waited for the teen to respond, but got no answer, "Shade?"

The teen was too busy looking down at the streets below, his ears listening to the abundance of the machines and other noises he had never heard before. Only when Marina called his name again did he finally pay attention.

"Huh? Sorry, what was that?"

"I was asking you what we're supposed to be looking for again here? You said we were looking for a tower with a cross on top of it, right?"

"Uhh, yeah, yeah! But there was another tower in the map. I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean or how it helps us, but I feel like we should look for that one, too."

"What did it look like, exactly?" Zak called from below them, his eyes scanning for any other towers in the vicinity, "Any kind of markings or something like that?"

"It had some kind of big round light in the middle of it."

"A clock tower!" The Greywing suddenly announced. But then winced when he realized what he did.

_'Crap. That's strike two.'_

"A what now?" Marina questioned curiously, and then asked with an unknown tone in her voice, "You've been here before, haven't you?"

"Y-Yeah, I have! Sorry, I forgot to tell you guys!" Zak grinned unevenly, "Just something I remembered from my old colony, that's all! A clocktower is what Humans use to tell the time for them. That sound we heard in the map, Shade?" He looked to see that Shade was paying attention, the teen giving a little nod at him, "The bells tell them what the time is. One ring for each hour. So, the light you mentioned is the clock on the face of the tower. And...over there!" He nodded towards what they were all looking for.

But as they flew over to it, Zak couldn't stop thinking about how close he was to letting his own secret out. First with the 'being in your shoes' expression and now his knowledge on the clock tower and how it was used for humans. He needed to, desperately, be more careful. It wasn't so bad with his first few friends back at the animal shelter. Sure, they thought he was crazy at first, but after listing off several very human things about himself and how the shelter worked they believed him. But what about Shade and Marina? What about the whole Silverwing colony? Would they even accept him if they knew he was actually a human in a bat's skin?

He stopped when they were close enough to roost on one of the ledges below the clock itself. Shade looked all over the structure after they landed.

"Huh. You said it was supposed to make noise, right?" Zak only nodded, "When is it supposed to happen? I don't know what those markings mean, is that supposed to tell us when it's going to happen?" He and Marina looked up with Shade at the giant clock hands in turn.

The Greywing's eyes immediately widened when he read the time perfectly.

One minute to 6PM. This time he kept his mouth shut but prepared himself for the impending noise. With a heavy metallic clank, the big hand on the clock finally hit the twelve.

**BONG...!**

Shade and Marina yelped and hissed as they covered their sensitive ears, Zak just tightly clamping his hands over his own as he grimaced.

**BONG...!**

**"Oh! So that's how it works!"**

**BONG...!**

**"What?!" **Marina cringed at Shade, barely able to hear the Silverwing over the bell tolling. Zak made to speak up but the next ring cut him off.

**BONG...!**

**"He said that's how it works!"**

**"Huh?!"**

**BONG...!**

**"What was that?!" **Shade yelled but could not hear them or himself, barely.

**BONG...!**

The Greywing slowly uncovered his ears after the sixth and final chime. But it took a moment longer for the other two to do the same, worried that it would make the same loud noise again. Once they were confident it was going to remain silent they relaxed. Shade looked at the clock in disbelief.

"Humans use this to tell them the time? How is it that they haven't gone deaf from it?"

"Well, there's a whole lot going on down below already, Shade." Zak pointed out, peering over the ledge at the busy streets below them, "I guess they're just so used to the noise that's happening all around them. Anyway, besides that, we found the tower now. Right? At least the one that makes noise. Where's the one with the cross at the top of it? But, totally unrelated question, what is that weird smell?" His nose twitched as he sniffed the air around them. Shade and Marina did the same.

They were near some shutters that covered the window-like spaces to the inside of the tower. Only when the Greywing bravely moved closer and smelled the air from inside did he draw back with a gagging cough.

"Oh god!" He retched again before covering his nose, "It smells like something did their business in there!"

"Ugh, definitely the worse thing I've ever smelled in my life." Marina mumbled from behind her hand, "Did we come across a nest of some kind?" Shade just coughed from the stench.

"What the heck kind of animal makes a nest that stinks so bad? Let's get out of here, maybe the tower with the cross is somewhere ahead."

A sudden short but short scream from Zak startled the two bats. The teens sharply turned to him to see what was wrong.

The Greywing was no longer standing beside them, only a few floating specks drifted where he had been seconds before. Before Shade and Marina could comprehend what had just happened, two more heads suddenly darted out from between the shutters and dragged them inside the tower screaming.

The teenagers could barely process what was happening. They were being dragged through the dark, a flurry of feathered wings battering the both of them before coming to a swift and uncomfortable halt as they were slammed into the floor stomach first.

"We got 'em! We got three of 'em!" They heard a voice cry out.

"Good, go get the general! He'll want to take a look at them. Bring more light in so he can see the criminals!"

With a blinding flash the bats were hit by what looked like a single bright light bulb in the corner of the space they were taken to. Shade realized he was being held down by some sort of bird. Not an owl. They were smaller but still bigger in a way. He saw Marina was being held down by one, and then he spotted Zak right next to her in the same position.

"Zak! Zak, are you alright?" He called to him frantically. The Greywing only grunted as he tried to move, but both his arms were kept pinned by the avian's foot.

"I should be asking you two that! Who are these guys?!"

"Pigeons," Marina quickly informed the both of them, "They're pigeons. I've heard of them before, they rule the skies here in the city."

"But what do they want with us?" Shade strained against the pigeon that held him down, but to no avail, "We didn't do anything! I thought the night sky was ours to fly in!" Marina just glanced at him with a serious but worried face.

"I have a feeling they don't really care about that, Shade." She was staying calm, or at least trying to, "I think they must be a patrol group. What rotten luck, these ones are always the most-"

"Keep quiet, you three!" The pigeon that held Marina shouted, "Give us more light!" Another light bulb flashed on, illuminating the space further. Despite the situation, Zak was impressed that these birds managed to learn how to work electricity. Though he did manage to spot an extension cord and one lone pigeon standing right next to the switch that powered them on. He took another look around the area, spotting more and more pigeons perched on different support beams, all of them making their signature cooing sound as they gazed down at the three bats. But the sound of heavier footsteps, complete with the scratch of claws reached their ears. And it was enough to silence the whole coop.

"Well...well...well," A deep and gravelly voice, terrifyingly familiar, greeted them, "Not even two nights ago I saw the both of you at Tree Haven. Now here we are again. What a small world we live in."

The lights were obscured by the large and intimidating form of none other then General Brutus himself. The owl gave a small grin as he stood only a few inches away from the three bats and their captors.

"Brutus." Shade shuddered fearfully, Marina just stared at the large owl in awe and fright. Zak just looked on with an anxious gaze.

"But I don't know you, Brightwing," Brutus scowled at her before looking back to Shade, "Dragging others into your crimes now, are we, Shade Silverwing? Did you not learn your lesson from before?"

"What're you talking about? We didn't do anything!"

"General! General Brutus, please!" Zak cut in, "We were only looking for the Silverwing colony! We haven't done anything since Tree Haven was burned!" But he was cut off as the pigeon holding him quickly pecked him on his head. Their beaks were surprisingly almost sharp, the peck having made a slight cut above his brow, inches away from his eye. Too close for comfort.

"Be silent, bat!"

Brutus only leaned in close to the young adult, his bright yellow eyes almost gleamed in the dark before he growled out, "You must think I was born yesterday. Did you really think that your act of retribution for Tree Haven wouldn't go unnoticed? It doesn't surprise me, considering your kinds role in the Great War. Cowards, for refusing to take sides. And yet, when it concerns your home, you suddenly grow a backbone? Take your vengeance on the birds? Four pigeons tonight are dead!" All three bats were shocked by the reveal of this information. Birds were being killed? But who would even have the strength to be able to do something like that?

"We didn't kill anyone!" Shade strained, struggling to look up at the owl general as he frowned, "We only just got into the city!"

"They lie!" One of the pigeons above cawed, "Only three bats would be able to overpower and kill a bird!"

"Maybe not three," Brutus added, "But a whole colony could kill a bird. Or two. Or even three. Now, I'm going to ask you one simple question, Silverwing. Where is your colony?"

"I-I don't know," Shade shivered, "We got separated-!"

"Don't lie to me!" Brutus rebuked sternly, "You broke the law by seeing the sun. I know only you would have the gall to get your own revenge for the burning of your home. I'll ask you once more. Where. Is. Your colony?" Shade was starting to shake now. He truly did not know where exactly his colony was headed. Would Brutus even accept his answer? That he did not know? But when he didn't answer, Brutus gave a brief nod at the pigeon holding him down. They adjusted their claws so that while one still kept his wing pinned to the ground, the others were on Shade's back. Zak and Marina just watched in silence until it looked as if the pigeon was slowly pressing his claws into the Silverwing's back.

Shade grimaced. Then he let a short groan out through clenched teeth. There were causing him pain to try and get the answer out of him. It was only when he let out a short pained yell that Zak had enough.

**"We don't know where the colony is!"**

All the pigeons, even Brutus, sharply turned towards the Greywing. Even Marina was taken by surprise. She turned to Zak, who was staring at the owl with a pleading gaze. The pigeon pecked at him again, the same spot, causing the cut to bleed.

"You will show the general respect, you little murderer!"

"Let him speak." Brutus raised his wing, looking down at the Greywing.

"Please," He implored, "Just don't hurt him. Don't hurt Marina, either. General. General, please, listen. He's telling the truth. We don't know where the colony is. We got caught in a storm two nights ago and it blew us off course. We came here hoping to find any sign of them. We don't know where they're heading." He watched as the giant owl stepped over closer to him, looking at him with a searching expression. Like he was gauging whether or not he was actually telling the truth. Zak licked his dry lips, "I swear, Brutus. We didn't kill anyone. Revenge isn't something I believe in. Frieda told me something that made sense. She said it's easier to replace a home then it is to replace another life. We can replace our home. We'd never do anything to get revenge. It's like you said, General. It's the law. Right?"

Marina and Shade just looked on. A mixture of emotions going through them as their friend spoke. There was admiration for being able to get Brutus' attention. Worry for what the result would be if and when he was finished talking. But fear was the strongest. What if the general didn't believe him either?

"You were only following the law after we broke it. I get it. _We_ get it. Punishment for a law broken is the only right thing to do to ensure it will never be broken again." He quickly looked over to Shade before focusing on the owl, "But please. _Please_ believe me. We didn't kill those pigeons."

General Brutus only stared at the Greywing. Almost for a minute. The owl finally straightened up and hummed thoughtfully.

"Clearly you know how things work. At least someone here understands the law." He flashed a quick glare at Shade, "And very admirable of you to try and protect the law breaker. But unfortunately, whether or not you actually committed the crime; that doesn't clear you of suspicion. The three of you might know who actually killed the pigeon guards. Captain!" One fairly larger pigeon stepped up closer to the owl's side, "Bring in the Private so he can verify if these three are the ones he saw."

"Yes sir, General!" The pigeon trotted off to the side before coming back with another one walking behind them. "Are these the bats, Private?"

The noticeably shaken pigeon moved over and looked over the trio. They were all able to see a gash that went across the bird's chest, right down to their skin leaving a red scar. The pigeon just shook his head rapidly.

"No. No, no, no. No, these aren't them. I told you, I-I told you, these bats were huge! With three foot wingspans! And there were only two of them, not three! They went through my friends like they were nothing! Killed them in an instant!"

"Private, that's enough! You're still delirious from what happened, go and get some rest." The captain urged and sent the pigeon off, "My apologies, General."

"No need for that, Captain. No bats of such size exist." He responded before turning away, "Interrogate them until they give up the information on the murderers. Oh, and one more thing," He looked back at the bats once more, his eyes darkening, "As of tonight, due to the situation, the skies are now closed to all bats. The night no longer protects you. Any bat seen flying, night or day, will be put to death. No questions asked. My messengers will make sure the news is spread far and wide. It's like you said, Greywing. It's the law. And I'm following it. You understand that, don't you?"

There was no grin on his face this time. He was serious. Marina, Shade and Zak just looked at him in horror as he turned and left the tower. The pigeons began cooing much louder now. The general wanted information? He was going to get it. Already the mass of birds were chanting as a few others were beginning to sharpen their beaks on sheets of metal.

Shade's ears twitched fearfully as he watched, the sound awful yet terrifying all at once. Marina frantically looked back and forth between him and Zak.

"What're we going to do? You guys have a plan, right? Right?!" The Greywing just had the same fearful look on his face as quickly looked around the area. There had to be something they could do to escape. Something that would give, if not him, at least Shade and Marina a chance to keep living. He spotted some metal nuts only an arm's length away. Then he glanced up towards the two lights. It was a long shot. But it was all he could think of for him and the two teenagers. He quickly whistled, the first time he ever done so without using his fingers, at Shade to grab his attention. He pointed to the metal nuts and then to lights, then gestured to the feet of the pigeons that still kept them pinned down. The Silverwing seemed to understand the first two but didn't know about the third. Zak pointed to their feet again but this time making a biting motion to get his idea across from him. The Greywing made sure Marina saw it too, and to his relief she nodded.

"On three," He whispered loud enough for the two to hear him, "We get out of here." He looked at the pigeons sharpening their beaks to make sure that they were distracted. The wrong timing would spell the end of them.

"One."

The pigeons kept sharpening their beaks.

"Two."

The trio slowly inched their muzzles closer to the scaled feet of the pigeons. Preparing themselves.

"Three!"

With quick and hard bites, they sunk their teeth into the dry flesh, causing the pigeons to screech out on surprise and minor pain. Zak and Marina managed to surprise their captors enough so they were able to stand up without worry. But Shade struggled before managing to get up on his own feet. The young adult quickly lunged for for two of the metal nuts, tossing one over to Shade before taking aim at the light.

"Get ready and then throw it!" He shouted before flinging the nut as hard as he could. He only feared that the nut would miss its mark, but as it sailed through the air it made a smooth trajectory right at the lit bulb itself. As did the Silverwing's throw. With the pop of broken glass, the interior was suddenly plunged into darkness, all the pigeons screaming out. In an instant pandemonium ensued.

"The lights!"

"Get the bats! The bats!"

"Where are they?! I can't see!"

"They went that way! I think?!"

"Watch where you're flying, you idiot!"

Everything was pitch black to the birds as they scattered about, some flying into the wooden beams and others crashing into each other. But for a bat, darkness was not an issue. They could see everything clear as day as they took flight and made for one of the window shutters.

"Stay close!" Zak shouted, "Just focus on getting out through the shutter there!"

It was a little difficult trying to maneuver through a mess of feathers and fluttering wings. The Greywing had to stop a few times to avoid flying right into an oblivious pigeon or one that crossed into his flight path. But with luck the trio managed to reach the window shutter, Zak guiding the teens through first before exiting himself. They were out.

"But where do we go from here?" Shade asked anxiously.

"Wherever it is we need to go now!" Marina quipped, "It won't be long until those bird brains realize we've gone outside! Which way?"

The banging on the shutters behind them told them they had very limited time to decide. Then a red eye peered through a gap in the window.

"Here they are! I found them! They're outside! They're escaping!"

Zak tapped his head with his palms, trying to figure out a new plan. He looked over the ledge to the streets below. He looked back at the shaking shutters again and back down. Marina frantically shook his shoulder.

"Zak! What do we do?!"

"Okay! Okay, I've got another idea! How are you guys with flying at low altitudes?" They just looked at him in scared confusion. The shutters were starting to open the more the pigeons beat their wings against it. "Because we need to lose these guys pronto-like!"

Without warning he pushed Marina and Shade right off the ledge, both screaming before he dove after them, not a second after the pigeons finally got through and were flying after them. The fall was short, after regaining their balance the younger bats spread their wings to quickly to avoid slamming into the ground.

"Whatever you do, do not slow down! Fly through the cars if you have to!"

"The what?!" Shade yelled out, only growing more confused through the chaos.

**"Just do it!" **Zak shouted, before picking up speed to get some distance between them and the pigeons. "Let's give these poor excuses of birds a challenge!"

It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the bright lights on the street, but once they did, the trio felt as if they were looking at an entirely different world. The angry coos and fluttering of wings snapped them back to attention.

Right now, the chase was on.


	8. City Lights & Starry Skies Pt2

**Chapter 6: City Lights & Starry Skies (Part 2)**

* * *

They were flying through the streets now. Never before had Shade and Marina been this close to the Humans nor their vehicles. Were they not being chased by angry birds they would take the time to admire them. But right now escape and survival were their only goals in mind. They flew through the dark alleyways first, weaving through the metal balconies and the wires that hung from between the buildings. The female gave a scream when one of the pigeons tried pecking at her feet. Zak, who was up ahead, climbed higher as he neared a window with a few small potted plants sitting on the outer ledge. Shade watched as his friend knocked one of the pots off. It fell for a short distance before it hit its mark, shattering onto the pigeon chasing the Brightwing. The bird gave a pained shout from the impact, the weight of pot and the pain itself causing it to stop flying, before crash landing into a nearby trash bin.

"You got him!" Shade shouted excitedly, giving a half smile before they exited the alley and were back onto the lit streets. One pigeon down, but two more were still after them.

"Go through the cars! Try and stay above them and avoid the big ones!" Zak called to them, banking away so as to make a gap to between them, "Hey! Feather brain! Over here! Bet you can't catch me!"

"I'll take the little ones! You go after that one!" A dark grey pigeon, pursuing Shade and Marina, squawked to his partner, a lighter colored one. Now the odds were evened up.

"You're only making this harder then it needs to be, Greywing!" They called to him, "Give up now and we promise we'll cut your torture time in half!"

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen, buddy!" Zak just flashed a grin before ducking down towards the sidewalks, the pigeon chasing after him.

Shade and Marina followed their friend's advice and moved into the traffic, fearful of what could happen but needing to try and throw off their lone pursuer. It was scary flying just above where these cars could hit them, injuring or even killing them if they weren't careful. The pigeon just cooed aggressively as it kept pace, not backing down one bit as they flew as fast as they could. Marina was starting to gain more speed before she turned back and realized that the small Silverwing was starting to lag.

He was panting heavily and struggling to keep up with her, the distance between him and the bird getting smaller each second that passed. At this rate he was going to get caught. Even Shade knew it, casting panicked looks behind himself and trying to gain more speed. He was only tiring himself out more. Fighting against her natural fear, the Brightwing cursed herself at what she was about to do.

It was risky. It was dangerous and could potentially get herself killed. But what other choice did she have? She sharply banked upward so the inside of her wings were facing ahead of her, causing her to immediately slow down and aiming herself at the pigeon. She could hear Shade shout to her as she flew past him, before she adjusted herself and landed right onto the bird's back. And she held on tight.

"Don't you dare lay a claw on my friend, you jerk!" The pigeon began to fly in a wild pattern, sharply banking left and right, diving down and turning up in an attempt to throw off the Brightwing. She just held on tight as she went on the wildest ride of her life. "If you think you're going to lose me that easily you've got another thing coming!"

"Get off! You're throwing me-!" The pigeon let out a high pitched yelp as they nearly barreled right into an oncoming car, "You're throwing me off balance! I said get off! We're both gonna die if you don't let go!"

But Marina just wrapped her arms around their neck to ensure she couldn't be shaken off. With that the pigeon just continued with their erratic flying. In an effort to throw off the Brightwing they even pulled off a rare corkscrew-like maneuver, spinning through the air after getting a good burst of speed. They did it not only once, but twice. Then three times, making multiple flips in a row.

"Whoa. Whoa! Whoa!" She cried out, growing dizzy from the spinning and it did not help that the lights and activity around them only made the ride so much more heart racing. All the while Shade had managed to slow down enough to catch his breath, and watched as Marina kept her grip. But as he looked ahead of them he saw a bigger vehicle, a truck, approaching from the opposite direction. Barreling straight towards the two.

**"Marina! Watch out!"**

Luckily she was able to hear him, after yet another intense spinning, the Brightwing looked ahead and spotted the oncoming machine. It let out a blaring noise that rang in her ears. With quick action, she planted her feet into the pigeon's back and jumped clear. The pigeon themselves, however, was not as lucky. The jump had pushed them lower and right into the truck's path. They tried to dodge by flying back up higher to avoid it.

Luckily, they got out of the way. But not enough.

The truck clipped their legs, sending them flipping head over tail through the air before landing in the back, carrying them off down the street. Marina turned back in time to see the pigeon dizzily lift their head up before the vehicle went around the corner of a building. In a strange way she felt relieved they weren't killed. At least they wouldn't be after her if they weren't dead, she thought. Now she needed to group up with Shade and catch up to Zak.

As that was all happening the Greywing himself was engaged in his own chase.

* * *

"Excuse me! Coming through! Pardon me! Sorry, just passing through!" Zak called out, weaving through the people that were walking on the street. He knew they couldn't understand him, but it still felt proper to at least announce he was in a rush. Almost all of them gave shouts and yells of surprise at the bat and pigeon flying by them. He wondered what they were thinking at the sight. Had to be strange, for sure. But being this low provided the Greywing with an advantage. He just needed to figure out how to lose the bird.

"C'mon, think!" He said loudly to himself, scanning for anything ahead of him that would help in breaking off from his avian pursuer. There was a coffee shop coming up on his left, but there were only a few people seated on the outdoor tables. He needed something else. He failed to notice the pigeon had caught up to him enough to swipe at his back with their claws, putting a new cut on his shoulder, "Ow! Dammit!" He picked up the pace while avoiding another swipe. This time he aimed for the hanging metal sign right above the street. It was blackened metal, hard to see despite the light of the streets unless one were to look hard enough. It was a hollow stencil-like design.

That was his ticket. He climbed up higher, purposefully slowing down to give the pigeon a chance to catch up to him. He needed to time it just right. Otherwise both he and the bird were going to be in for a painful time. The sign was coming up closer.

Closer.

Closer.

There!

"So long, sucker!"

Zak gave one last pump of his wings before closing them around himself, dropping out of the air and just barely grazing the bottom of the sign. The poor pigeon chasing him only gave an alarmed squawk before slamming into the sign with a solid bang of metal. They remained stuck to the sign before dropping off of it with a dazed groan. The pigeon landed in something soft, but it kept their wings pinned to their sides before they looked up, their gaze meeting with that of a two year old child. The bird had landed in the cup holder of the baby's stroller. The child just babbled before bonking the pigeon on the head with a rattling toy, giggling joyfully at their new feathered visitor.

The Greywing was back in the air before he touched the ground. He laughed excitedly at the sight of the pigeon's misfortune, though only a second as the adrenaline rush from the chase was starting to wear off. He suddenly felt more worn out then ever before.

"Ha! Haha. Ha. Whoa. Oh, man. That...that was intense." He breathed, collapsing on his back on a roof that was closest to him, "I'm definitely going to sleep good tonight. Or...today. Whatever." He stared up at the night sky, at least what he could see due to the lights from below. He sighed.

"Pigeons...have to be the worst bird. Ever. First on the hated birds list. Owls are second. Definitely second. Whew."

* * *

After taking that moment to rest, Zak reunited with Shade and Marina, quickly moving to the next spot that looked like they're destination. Aside from the clock-tower, there was another one off in the distance, this one had a visible cross built at the top of it. A cathedral.

Shade was relieved and excited to finally find what they were looking for. They needed to rest after what had happened with the pigeons, but he and Marina were afraid of the gargoyles that were perched along the edges of the building itself.

"Are those the things that the pigeon was talking about?" The Silverwing asked nervously, "They definitely look big enough to kill a bird!"

"I don't know, but we shouldn't get too close," Marina added, "Who knows if they're just waiting for one of us to get near them. Then wham! We're dead. Let's find another spot to-!" The Brightwing froze when she spotted Zak already flying down to land next to the big stone monster itself. "Zak! What're you doing?!" He just waved at her and Shade.

"It's alright, there's nothing to be afraid of. They're not real." Beckoning them over, the two teens hesitantly got closer before they were brave enough to land, staying close to the Greywing, "See? They're made of stone. Just statues." He knocked his knuckles against the gargoyle for good measure.

He hissed, bringing a hand up to wipe a bit of blood off of his left brow, the cut beginning to sting now. But his right shoulder was stinging as well, but, thankfully; it wasn't as deep and didn't bleed. "Geez, those pigeons can sure leave a mark when they want to. What about you guys? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Marina checked herself over, "Nothing serious except my band itching, but that's nothing new."

Shade didn't answer at first, only looking around and listening for any sign of his colony. His ears lowered before he sighed.

"They're not here. I can't hear anyone. Even if they were still here, what then? They don't know the skies are closed to us now. We have to try and warn them!" The teen made to start flying again, but the second he spread his wings he gave a sharp gasp and gripped his right wing. Moving his arm without spreading out his wing he took a look at what was causing the sudden pain. There was a large tear in his wing membrane. Blood oozed from the torn canopy and dripped onto the stone. It looked much larger then the Greywing's own healed tear.

"Your wing!" Zak gasped, moving closer to get a better look at the wound, "When did this happen? When you guys were being chased?" Shade just shook his head and tried to keep his arm still.

"N-No," He shivered, "I think it happened before we left the tower. The pigeon that held me down. My wing must have caught it's claw." The Silverwing groaned, and then whimpered, "This really hurts, Zak. How am I going to fly now? What if I never fly again? We'd never be able to find my colony and warn them!"

"Hey, just take it easy," Marina soothed him, "Panicking isn't going to help you. Just try and stay calm, alright? But, seriously, Zak. What're we going to do? We don't have any medicine."

"A nurse in the colony, Aloy, she made something when the same thing happened to me," The Greywing showed her the healed scar, "But...it never occurred to me to ask her exactly how she made it. And this is a city. Where are we going to find fresh herbs?"

Shade almost began tearing up from the pain, but he was also scared of what could happen to them next. They had already been through a chase with the pigeons. They were tired and scared. They were defenseless.

**"Perhaps, I can be of some assistance."**

A voice, aged yet friendly and from seemingly nowhere, suddenly spoke up; putting the trio on high alert. Marina put her back against Shade and looked in one direction while Zak looked the other way. The voice was slightly loud. Whoever it was they had to be nearby. But where, exactly?

"Who's there?" The Greywing called out. The voice answered back courteously, chuckling warmly.

**"Don't be afraid, young ones. I mean you no harm. After all, you've been through a lot already. Haven't you?"**

They couldn't see the person speaking, but the trio figured out where the source was coming from. It was emanating from the mouth of the seemingly lifeless gargoyle itself.

"Who are you? And how, exactly, do you know what we've gone through?" Zak asked cautiously, keeping his gaze on the gargoyle's mouth itself. The more he looked the more he realized that he could see someone standing inside it. And whoever it was, they slowly moved further inside the gargoyle.

**"Please, come inside. All will be explained in due time. Well, in only a moment, should you choose to enter. Though with the pigeons in an uproar around the city, this is the only safest place for you."**

The old voice chuckled before going fully silent. Zak looked at Shade and Marina, both of them confused yet curious at whoever it was. But whoever they were, they were right. It wasn't safe for them to be out in the open. Their only option was to head on inside. The Greywing knelt down to let Shade climb onto his back, which he gladly accepted at least for this moment, before moving up to the statue's mouth and letting him off once they landed. The three of them peered inside, the teenagers still unsure at standing within the jaws of the stone beast before Zak went in first. His clawed feet clicked against the stone as he moved, followed by Shade and Marina's steps. It wasn't very far before they all entered a new chamber that was nestled far behind the gargoyle. It was rather spacious with wooden beams that provided plenty of spots to roost from and even stand on, and a shaft that lead straight down in the center of the room.

Indeed, inside it was pleasantly warm, the three bats feeling relief as the cold was replaced with the soothing heat. But what really got their attention were the numerous herbs that were either hanging from threads or organized in neat piles along the walls. Some were dried and preserved while others were clearly only freshly picked. Looking further they spotted who could only be the source of the voice from outside. They were muttering incoherently to themselves as they stared at wooden wall in front of themselves.

Snowy white fur, a little shaggy but neatly groomed, graced their view. Large ears swiveled, titled and twitched almost constantly. The bat scribbled something down next to various other markings listed on the wooden surface.

"There we go, Greywings are passing by the city as scheduled," They muttered, a smile in their tone, "And not a moment too late, considering what's been happening here."

The three younger bats just glanced at one another before looking back at the elderly looking bat cautiously. Zak cleared his throat softly.

"Who...um, who are you?"

With a surprisingly agile flip from their roost, the bat turned around to the small group, revealing a set of eyes that nearly matched their fur, if not slightly a light grey. The full beard they sported told the group they were looking at a male. It only took one look to tell them that he was no threat to them, helping them to relax in his presence.

"My name is Zephyr. I'm the...," He paused, as if forgetting what his position was, "Ummm, you can call me the bat traffic controller! I help all the migrating colonies and send them on their correct path. This very place itself acts as the central hub which every colony comes through." Marina flew over to the wall covered in the various markings out of curiousity, "Those are the colony flight paths, my dear, umm...?"

"Marina," She responded politely, "My name's Marina. Those two over there are Zak and Shade." Both males gave a little wave, but then immediately decided against it when they remembered Zephyr's eyes. Though Shade only stopped when another twinge of pain went through his wing.

"It's a relief to another friendly face, Zephyr, but," He carefully picked up Shade and brought him closer to the elder, then gently laying him onto the floor, "My friend here needs some help. He was-"

"Injured. I know, I heard the three of you talking just outside earlier," Zephyr chuckled softly, "But! Not to worry, I have just the thing to mend a wound like that. You might be familiar with it, correct? The same kind of mixture that I had taught young Aloy when she was about your age." The Greywing gave a look before he glanced down at his own healed cut on his wing.

"How did you-?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised at how much you can learn through the years. As well as how much you'd know over time." The old bat got to work on mixing up the familiar salve, expertly finding the herbs and even the type of berry he needed, "But it's all about hearing everything. Thanks to these large ears of mine. After I'm done with your friend here I'll take that you need some of this medicine after, too."

Zak remembered the cut on his shoulder and brow.

"Ah, yeah. Yes, please, that'd be good. Thank you."

"Oh no need to thank me. I'm just doing what's right and helping you three youngsters out. Now, would you mind telling me how a Silverwing, a Brightwing and a Greywing wound up together?" Zephyr asked as he began to spread the medicinal mush onto Shade's wing, who hissed softly. Marina and Zak looked at each other. Then back to the elder.

"How did you know what kind of bats we are?" Marina asked softly.

"I may be blind, technically even more blind then a mole, but I can still see in another way. It's a wonder that sound has evolved to help those who are either blind or can see perfectly, but not as well in the dark." He smiled as he finished with Shade's wing.

"So you used your ears to see us," The Brightwing said in wonder, watching as Zephyr began to put the salve onto Zak's cuts, "And that's how you help the other colonies? You just listen for them?"

"That's right, my dear. Even though it may seem like a hassle, being blind, I've grown use to it over the years. Learned to hone my other senses. Such as touch, sound and even smell. For example, I used my echoes to take a proper look at you all. I could hear different ear shapes, different fur and even different heights. Speaking of smell, on the other hand, you haven't come from a Greywing colony. Have you, my boy? The scent of Human is almost heavy on you." Zak gave a slight wince at the sting the medicine made, but he answered.

"O-Ow. Yeah, about that. I actually came from an animal shelter. A place where sick or injured animals, whether that's bats, birds or even beasts; are cared for until they're healed. I don't remember much about my old colony. Aside from some bits and pieces that came back to me here and there. I met Shade's colony on the night I was released."

"Hmmm. Interesting. So you've had contact with Humans. As did you, Marina. Your band." She immediately wanted to hide it, but the tone and curious look on Zephyr's face told her she didn't have to keep it hidden. She held her arm out to him, giving the elder a moment to finish putting the medicine on Zak's cuts, before he turned to her. Gently grasping her wrist in his hands, his fingers gliding over the shiny metal, "Ahh. It's brand new. When did you receive this?"

"Just this spring. It's because of this I was on my own for three months. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why so many bats think these are bad luck. But Shade, he told me that his colony elder, Frieda; might know about them."

"I know her. They came through here two nights ago. Stayed here for a short while before they needed to move on south from the City." Zephyr stated, letting Marina's hand go as he turned to the two males, "Most if not all of them think the both of you are dead. But there were a few who believed that you two are still alive. Clearly, they were correct in thinking so."

"My mother. And my brothers," Shade smiled, "Of course they would be waiting for me. For us." He glanced down at his wing, frowning at the salve covering the tear in his wing before he looked back up at Zephyr, "How long does this stuff have to stay on for? We need to try and catch up with my colony before it's too late. I have to warn them about the skies being closed!"

"Now now, little one," Zephyr softly shushed him, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. The three of you have been put through a lot of stress tonight alone, hm? I could hear everything going on. It would be for the best if you all stayed the night and got some rest, don't you think?"

Marina and Zak didn't say anything but they both silently agreed that things had definitely not turned out in a good way. Zephyr went to find more herbs for a different concoction as the Brightwing looked at her friend.

"Yeah. Look, Shade," The girl sighed, "I know you want to get to your colony as soon as possible, but Zephyr's right. I don't know about you but I need some rest. And the pigeons will be patrolling the city after we just escaped from them." The Greywing nodded in agreement.

"If we were to try and leave now we'd be back with those birds and probably be killed this time. No questions asked." Zak sighed deeply, clearly tired from the night's events, "I need some sleep. I got an adrenaline rush from all that flying earlier."

"But-!"

"Listen to your friends, Shade," Zephyr called from the other corner of the room, "Better to be well-rested and safe rather then sorry. Tomorrow night you and your friends can be on your way, but I would like to teach you all a few things before you leave. Important things that will help you later in your journey." The snow haired male slowly waddled back with a small cup carved out of stone, a slightly pinkish fluid sloshed within it. Shade was about to protest before he looked at his friends. This time, he was finally able to see just how tired and weary they both looked. Marina was softly itching at her band. And Zak was checking over his shoulder.

Zephyr was right. Maybe tonight, just this night, they should stay and rest up. The elderly male knelt down beside him and held out the cup.

"Here. Something to help you settle down and sleep." Shade gave a look, but he slowly relented as he let Zephyr bring the cup to his lips and drank. He half expected the medicine to taste awful. It certainly was strange as the liquid was almost slightly greasy on his tongue, but yet it had little to no taste at all. "Good. Just lay still and keep your wing spread out. It will help it to heal better. As for you two, go ahead and roost wherever you'd like. Tomorrow night we can talk more. For now, just rest."

"Sure," Shade muttered, licking the roof of his mouth, "But just for a little bit." He was feeling more tired all of a sudden. Zak came up beside him, smiling softly down at him.

"It's alright, Shade. Get some sleep. Marina and I will be here."

With that, he and the Brightwing picked their spot right above where Shade was laying down, getting ready to catch some early sleep. The Silverwing's fatigue only grew as he stared up at the ceiling of Zephyr's home. Looking at the other wooden beams above. The other paths that lead to wherever. His eyelids were growing heavy.

Then, with one last flutter of his eyes, he closed them as everything went dark.

* * *

**The next night, after much needed sleep...**

* * *

Shade awoke with barely a start. He just opened his eyes, feeling strangely well rested and not at all tired. It felt like all he did was blink and suddenly it was a new night. After sitting up he could see what was going on inside the tower. Marina was chatting with Zephyr, asking him about her band and what it meant, presumably asking his viewpoint on them. Zak was just a wingspan or two in front of him, looking over the various herbs and studying each one. The Greywing's ear twitched before turning to the teen.

"Hey, you're awake," He grinned, "Did you sleep well?"

"I...think so? It hardly feels like I slept, really. But I feel better then I did last night, that's for sure."

"Well, Zephyr did say that potion was to help you sleep. Knocked you right out before Marina and I fell asleep. Your wing is looking a little better," He pointed, a fresh amount of the healing salve was on, "He just changed it so it will keep healing." Shade looked up at him with a disappointed face.

"You mean it hasn't healed yet?"

"Well, no, of course not. Not yet, anyway. Your wing got torn a lot more then mine did back at Tree Haven. But look on the positive side, Zephyr said you can go for a test flight when you feel ready. Your wing's healed enough for you to fly without too much pain. But he also said to be careful. The pigeons are on high alert."

"Of course they are," Shade muttered bitterly, "Stupid birds." He was really starting to hate them. First the owls with Tree Haven. And now the pigeons and whatever killings they were talking about.

Getting up on his feet he flexed and spread his injured wing experimentally. There was a slight tenderness but it wasn't painful, thankfully. The medicine was doing what it was supposed to. But that didn't mean that it didn't make him more bitter about how he got it. As well as the current situation.  
Marina was still talking to Zephyr. Only now he was telling her how truly special she was and how her band was actually a good sign of what was to come in the future for all those who were banded. The Silverwing briefly looked down at his own bare forearms. Nothing. No band. He was nothing special. And in a way, Zak was kind of special, too. He had been with the Humans. No band, maybe, but he had learned a bit about them in one place. It was hard not to feel jealous with the two of them. The Greywing had gone over to talk to Zephyr as well. They were his first and only friends. But he couldn't shake the feeling.

"I'm going out to stretch my wings," He said, loud enough to catch everyone's attention, "Gonna grab some bugs if I can."

"Do be careful, now!" Zephyr called to him as he flapped up to the exit, "You don't want to make your wing any worse if you try and do anything too crazy."

"Yeah yeah yeah, I got it. Not like I can do much with the pigeons around anyway."

The Silverwing left with a huff, his friends watching him go with a hint of concern. Zak turned and looked at Marina with a brow raised.

"Is it just me or did he seem a little more moody tonight? But is it even safe for him to be out there by himself?" She just shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe? I always thought he was a little moody since I first met you guys. But it does sound like he's a bit more uptight then usual."

"Well, you can't really blame him, can you?" Zephyr interjected, "After getting lost in a storm, separated from your colony and being chased by pigeons, I think even the two of you would have some negative feelings brewing inside of you. Hmm?" The Brightwing and Greywing went quiet for a moment, noting how true the albino's words were. "Now, come with me. There's something I want to show you. And don't worry about Shade, young man, I've got a little trick to help him. In fact, I can hear two, no, three pigeons coming through this way right now."

The two younger bats glanced at each quickly before following after the elder out to the gargoyles' mouth. Sure enough, just like he had said, there were three pigeons flying about a short distance away from the cathedral. And they were all chasing after one bat. Shade. Immediately Zak went to try and help his friend, but Zephyr held a wing out in front of him.

"Shhh. Just watch. Both with your eyes and your ears."

The Greywing wondered what he was talking about and what he even meant by that. He anxiously looked back towards where Shade was, the Silverwing having ducked down low to the streetlights, the pigeons still in hot pursuit. But then he started hearing a new noise. Like a humming. Only more melodic. It had taken the young adult a second to realize that Zephyr himself was making the noise. At first it seemed like nothing, but Zak remembered his words and focused more on listening rather then just relying on his own eyes. The more he did so, the more he was able to see that sound was radiating off of the albino in gentle waves. Like ripples in a calm body of water.

"Zak, look!" Marina excitedly grabbed his attention. She pointed out towards where Shade was still being chased. The only sudden difference was the Silverwing wasn't alone anymore.

Another bat had suddenly appeared. Whoever it was, they were fast and agile. They flew between him and the pigeons, catching their attention before flying off to another building. Stopping only for a moment to let the birds get close enough before taking off again, weaving through the group before surging ahead. But as the pigeons followed, both Zak and Marina were taken by surprise when the mystery bat suddenly vanished into thin air. They didn't suddenly drop out of view to hide behind something, they were nowhere near a spot they could disappear to.

The bat simply just...faded out of existence.

The pigeons only cooed in confusion, all three of them frantically looking around for the stranger. Not a moment too soon the bat reappeared yet again, this time flying towards the pigeons and frightening them simply from the act of materializing out of nowhere. This happened a few more times, the pigeons getting brave and trying to chase after the bat, only for them to just disappear, and then suddenly reappearing somewhere else. Either they were invisible, or they were a ghost.  
With frightened cooing and shouts, the pigeons turned tail and retreated deep back into the City.

"What...?" Zak softly muttered, "What in the world was that?"

Zephyr only responded with a joyful chuckle and wandered back inside. Shade arrived a few seconds later, excitedly retelling what he had just witnessed to his friends.

"It was weird, but at the same time it was so cool, too! I mean, that guy was there one second but then just disappeared! I'm trying to figure out how he managed to do it! It was just-! Wow!" He looked over to the elder bat and gave a knowing face, "You know how exactly he did it, don't you? Could you teach me? Please?" He was giving a hopeful and giddy smile now.

Zephyr just turned around. Not saying a word except giving the teenager a smile. He then explained that he would teach Shade, but only after, for now he needed some more rest for his wing. Considering he was chased by pigeons again, the elder wanted him to remain inside for the time being. Luckily, he had other food stored away for the three to eat. Insects and berries that had been expertly preserved by unknown means. But the only important thing was that it all tasted fine. Albeit a little dry.

Afterward, it was back to a rather boring time. At least, it was boring for Shade. He was roosted a little higher above Zak and Marina, who were busy learning about the different properties of various medicinal herbs. The young adult was working on mixing up a new batch of a healing poultice, mashing up a small handful of berries in a bowl while adding in tiny amounts of another plant that was needed for the mixture, while the female was helping the albino sort through the rest of his supply. Earlier she had been given one berry to use on her band. More specifically, she squeezed its juice underneath her band, and for the first time in months since she got she felt relief. Turns out her skin was getting chafed by the metal.

The Silverwing had been looking over his wing before a sound from higher above had caught his attention. A scratching coming from two beams higher up. Shade wasn't the only one to catch it as Zak froze, his ears pointing straight up in alert before he looked upwards himself.

"What's that?" He whispered, before being shushed by the Silverwing. The teen pointed up to where he could hear it.

It took a moment before Marina realized how quiet it had gotten before she looked up as well. First there was a soft scratching. But then a very familiar noise graced their ears.

A pigeon's coo. But this time it was different. It sounded less intimidating, but more...wounded. And subdued. From below, Zak stood up and carefully walked to a different spot to try and give himself a better view of the bird who was up there. Wondering to himself on how they even managed to get inside the tower without alerting them all. Zephyr didn't seem very worried, he was just staring at his flight charts. Finally, from behind a loose plank obscuring his view, a single lone pigeon limped out. What had happened to them? They were all grey but with some varying shades across their body, along with a crest of feathers atop their head that resembled styled hair. But another thing that caught the Greywing's eye was their wing. It was open but left drooping at an odd angle.

Before he could say anything to the pigeon, Shade had already beaten him to it. But his voice had a tone that neither Zak nor Marina had heard before.

"You're one of those birds that just tried to kill me out there." He growled darkly before clinging upside down just above the pigeon. The poor thing looked scared, their eyes unable to leave Shade's.

"N-No, please. You-You're mistaken," The pigeon, a female, shivered and gestured to her wing, "I only came here to hide, I swear."

"You know, there's a reason why I hate birds so much," Shade slowly stalked after the pigeon the more she tried to limp away from him, "Owls probably killed my father. They burned down my colony's home and now you, you pigeons, are accusing us of a crime my friends and I didn't commit. And you tried to have us all killed!"

Zak and Marina looked on anxiously.

"Shade, hang on," The Greywing called up to him before looking up at the pigeon, "Ma'am? Ma'am, listen, we're not a threat to you either. Okay? Look, just...stay where you are and try not to move. We have medicine, see? We can treat your wounds." He gestured to the bowl he still held in his hand. Shade's glare intensified, aimed at the Greywing now.

"Why are you trying to be friendly to them? Don't you remember what they tried to do to us? We almost died because of them!"

"But threatening her when she's defenseless? The least we can do is help her!"

"Shade, back off, she's scared!" Marina cut in next, trying to move closer to the pigeon in case something happened. The female bird stepped on a particularly weakened part of a board that connected two beams like a walkway, the section breaking loose and falling down into the darkened depths of the tower below. Again, Zephyr didn't react to the situation going on just behind him.

"Please," The pigeon whimpered, wincing from their wounded wing, "I came here to hide because...because of the giant bats. They attacked me and my family. Please, can't you see what you're doing? I'm not a threat to you!"

"Watch your step, go back the other way!" Zak yelled, growing more worried as the bird's steps were moving dangerously close to the edge of the board, "Shade! Stop! I'm telling you this as a friend! Stop it right now!"

Shade just stared into the pigeon's own frightened eyes. Hatred for their kind radiating off of them before he started moving closer to her. She was defenseless. That much was for certain. He dug his claws into the wood, gritting his teeth as Zak and Marina's words were drowned out by the white noise that started droning in his ears from the rage coursing through him. The pigeon only kept trying to move away from him, unable to take her eyes away from his. Zak yelled to him again, but he couldn't hear him.

All it took was one misstep. Her foot only hit open air. The pigeon only gave a sharp gasp before she stumbled, unable to catch her balance and unable to use her wing to save herself, and fell off the board.

**"Shade!"**

**"No!"**

Marina and Zak screamed out. The Brightwing's hands immediately shot up to her mouth in horror. The Greywing, reacting by instinct, had leaped forward to try and catch the pigeon, dropping the bowl of medicine in the act as he landed stomach first and reached out. But she was already falling so fast that he could only feel the wind brush the tips of his fingers. All three young bats could only stare as the pigeon disappeared into the darkness below.

The bowl had shattered on a wooden beam further below. Splattering the healing salve across it.

The white noise in Shade's ears had instantly vanished the moment the pigeon had fallen. The anger and hatred he felt only seconds before had evaporated, as well. His mouth had gone dry from the shock of what had happened. At what he had caused. He slowly trailed behind Marina as she went to Zak, himself getting up onto his knees as he kept staring down below, as did she. Shade landed off to the side of the pair. He held his head as he began to hyperventilate. Horror and pure shock coursing through him.

"I-I...I didn't mean-! I did...I didn't...! I didn't mean to, I...! I'm sorry-!"

"**Don't!**" Zak sharply cut him off, "Just don't. We could've helped her. She was scared. She...was only looking for a safe place."

The Silverwing wanted to apologize. But the Greywing's tone made it clear that he didn't want to hear it. He didn't mean to kill the pigeon. He really didn't. Tears were beginning to sting at his eyes the more it began to hit him. He had taken a life. It was by accident, but it had been caused by him. Marina looked from both of them slowly, before looking back at the elder who was still hanging quietly by the wall.

"Did you hear all that? What was going on?" She asked him softly. Zephyr only sighed as he finally turned to the three of them.

"What I heard was a young bat, blinded by his anger and hatred, choosing to see the worst in someone instead of trying to offer help in return. But at the moment when the accident occurred I saw something change in him. I heard someone who realized the error of his ways, even when it was seemingly too late." Zak turned his around, the words spoken by the albino bat encouraging him to look not at him, but at Shade.

The small teenager was crouched onto his knees, wings wrapped around himself as he shook. The young adult slowly crawled over, touching his shoulder gently so as not to startle him, though the Silverwing did flinch slightly. While he didn't look at him, Zak could see that he was crying and trying not to make too much noise. He held his lips in tightly, jaw quivering as he wiped at one of his eyes free of tears only for another drop to run down his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Z-Zak," He whispered, "I-I'm sorry. I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...to-to kill her."

Remembering Zephyr's words, the Greywing reached his arm to Shade's opposite shoulder and brought him into a half-hug.

"It wasn't your fault, Shade. It was an accident. You didn't do anything." Marina knelt next to the Silverwing, touching his forearm comfortingly.

"They're right," Her voice was calm and gave off an air of comforting warmth, "Don't blame yourself, okay? You were...angry. I get that. I just wished that we could have helped her."

"This is why you must never, ever, underestimate the power of a kind act. One single act of kindness can inspire another. Even to one's own enemy. Whether they are real...or even imagined."

The last part of Zephyr's sentence had caught Marina and Zak's attention. It took a moment for them to catch it, but it only made them both raise a brow in confusion. Even Shade perked up a little.

With yet another soft smile, Zephyr took a deep breath and began to sing the same peculiar note that he made with the pigeons outside the cathedral earlier. The three bats were busy wondering on the albino's words and what he was currently doing, failing to notice a pair of wings were extended out around them. When they looked up, they all screamed in shock and stumbled away from what could only be the very same female pigeon that had fallen down the tower. As soon as they saw her, the bird's form began to ripple before vanishing into whisps of sounds. Zak just looked to his two friends, back and forth to the other, as he pointed to where the pigeon had just been standing.

"That was her! But I thought she fell! Didn't she?" Marina was just as confused and surprised.

"That's what I saw! But it's just like that bat from outside! He appeared and disappeared just like the pigeon did!"

"Those were echo projections."

The two stopped and looked at Shade. While his eyes were slightly red from his tears, he didn't appear sad anymore. He looked amazed. Excited, even.

"That bat, that pigeon, they were both echo projections. Just like how a moth does them! They were echo projections!" Carefully climbing over Marina and Zak's legs, the Silverwing quickly crawled over to Zephyr and stayed kneeling, looking up at the albino with a newfound excitement, "Zephyr, please, could you teach me to do what you do? I swear I won't complain if there's some extra stuff we have to do before it, but please! I want to learn how to do echo projections!"

And so, the lessons began. Though at first, Zephyr wanted Shade to learn that was more to echo projecting then it seemed, and that only one in a million bats could effortlessly echo project. This only excited the boy even more at the possibility of being the first ever Silverwing to use the ability. While the albino also offered to teach Marina and Zak, the two politely declined, both opting to let Shade learn and provide moral support.  
Zephyr went on to explain that he would need to learn about things such as sound mapping, star navigation, as well as herbal remedies. Despite the promise he made before, Shade wasn't too keen on learning, in his words, useless stuff that had no possible relation to echo projecting.

"What am I supposed to do if I an owl corners me? Throw leaves at it and hope it gets an allergy long enough for me to escape?"

Zephyr sent a ring of sound out to properly look at Shade's height compared to a dusty old book stood up near him. What he saw didn't exactly look promising. He was only a third of the size of the book itself.

"Clearly you can't use your size to overpower your opponent, Shade, so alternative methods are your only chance." Zak suddenly cleared his throat beside him.

"Maybe don't, well, talk about his size too much, Zephyr."

"He's sensitive about it." Marina whispered not so quietly. Shade only frowned sourly when Zephyr nodded in understanding.

"The more you know about these lessons, my dear boy, the better chance you'll have against stronger and bigger opponents. For example, do you know any self defense, by chance?" He asked, stepping up close to Shade. Almost a little too close, really. The teenager leaned away with an unsure grimace.

"Uhhhh, no? I don't think so?"

Zephyr quickly put one foot forward and behind Shade's leg, and just as quickly, shoved him hard enough to knock him over. With his foot in the way, the Silverwing couldn't catch himself and fell to the floor with a grunt. He looked up at the old bat who only glanced down at his general direction with a more serious expression.

"Now do you understand why you need to learn these lessons? Not just you, but your friends, too. They may not be learning echo projection, but the rest of these skills will benefit them, as well. Are you ready to learn?" He asked, offering a hand to the teen.

"Y-Yeah. I got it. I understand. I'm ready." Shade smiled, reaching up to accept the helping hand.

The trio tackled the lessons. Marina and Zak showed that they had a natural affinity for plants, as Zephyr quizzed them on what herb he was holding up, it was either one or the other who would answer correctly.

"Stinging nettle!" Marina chirped at a prickly looking leaf.

"Maidenhair!" Zak barked with a smile at a small bunch fan-shaped leaves.

Zephyr, chuckling proudly and in amusement, held up the next herb which had numerous tiny white flowers dotted on it's surface.

"_**Feverfew!**_" Both of them answered at once, before laughing at how perfectly timed they were to one another. Shade only rolled his eyes and crossed his arms with a huff. But after the lesson with the plants, once Zephyr believed he was ready to move on, Shade was relieved and excited to finally get started with learning echo projections.

Zephyr first explained that in order for the technique to be used to its fullest, one would have to capture the object they want to project not just in their mind but also in their heart, listen to it's form in his imagination. And that he needed to hear the object and then need to sing it.

Though, unfortunately, being his very first time attempting it; the process itself didn't exactly look as amazing as Zak nor Marina had imagined it. Shade put his fingers to his temples and began to grunt and groan. He looked liked he was attempting to move something with his mind rather then make an echo projection. The Greywing just watched with a slight smile, trying not to laugh at the effort his friend was trying to put in. He reminded him of how some psychic characters in movies would act when using a huge amount of their power.  
After that didn't work, Zephyr instructed the Silverwing to try something smaller and simpler, like a leaf. Luckily, Shade seemed to have better luck with that, even though it was a barely visible shimmer that appeared. Of course, the short amount of time he was able to keep it up only frustrated him.

"Your emotions are getting in the way of your focus, Shade," Zephyr stated, "A clear mind is needed in order to create the perfect echo projection. Why don't you take a break for now? Maybe you and Marina can go pick some stinging nettle for me. There's some that grows in an alleyway right outside the cathedral." As Zak made to follow, the albino quickly stopped him, "If you don't mind, Zak, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. In private, if that's alright with you."

The Greywing wasn't expecting this, neither was Shade nor Marina, but he accepted. The elder encouraged the youngsters to go out and collect the stinging nettle, waiting until he was sure they were gone before turning back to Zak.

"In here," He gestured to one of the passageways near the main entrance, on the right hand side when entering, "That way we can have proper privacy. And no, you're not in trouble, if that's what you're wondering. This about you and where you came from." Even hearing that answer, the young adult had a strange feeling that he knew what the elder was referring to.  
Walking through the tunnel it took Zak a moment to realize that the whole path looked like it had been carved out over time. Leading up to an even larger room that also looked as if it had been made by a bat's hands. The walk wasn't that long, only a few steps. A small firefly lantern hung from the ceiling to illuminate the room, revealing a kind of storage area for more preserved food items and herbal remedies.

"Now, we can talk," Zephyr's smiled, picking up what looked like a type of brown leather bag and began to carefully pick out different items. But it looked like he knew exactly what to look for, "You said you came from an animal shelter, correct? Where Humans help the injured and the sick?"

"Yeah, that's right," He replied, watching the old bat work on filling the bag, "That's the reason for the Human scent on me, like I said."

"Hmmm, yes, that's right. But, there's another thing I've noticed about that," Zephyr looked back at him, white eyes squinting inquisitively, "That scent has been on you ever since, hasn't it? And it hasn't washed away. One might think either you haven't been spit washing properly, or...?" The albino paused for a moment. The silence made the young adult feel nervous. Already what he was saying was making sense.

"That has always been your scent. All Human with no smell of nature to them. Shade and Marina smell like the forests they come from, with a little of the salty ocean air. Now, you understand you're not in trouble, yes?" He heard Zak nodding before verbally confirming, "All I'm curious about is this. Are you truly a Greywing? Or, more specifically, a human...in a bat's body?"

The Greywing froze and remained silent. There was no fooling the albino. With his age and wisdom, of course he would pick up on the small things. But it had been an obvious clue that Zak should have known about, himself. Of course he still smelled human. He hadn't spent long enough in the wild to get rid of his original scent. He swallowed, his throat feeling a little sore all of a sudden as it tensed up. He breathed in deeply and then exhaled.

"Yes. You're right on the nose with that." He said with a mirthless chuckle, but then he sighed. "But, again, yes. It's true. I was human. Once."

"Do Shade and Marina know?" Zephyr asked, looking more intrigued and curious. Zak didn't need to think on his answer for very long.

"No. They don't know. And...I'm not sure I really want them to know."


	9. A Trio Meets a Duo

Chapter 7: A Trio Meets a Duo

* * *

**The night before Marina, Shade and Zak's arrival to the City...**

* * *

The bugs outside the city had a very odd taste, Bartho noticed. Unlike the ones that were near Tree Haven, which tasted fresh, these ones had an odd smoky and dirt-like feeling to them. He figured that, perhaps, it was due to them living so close to a place filled with the Humans machines. And the awful smelling fumes they spewed out. They had left the city behind them about three hours ago. Though they had to do so reluctantly at Frieda's behest, as much as the elder wanted to wait for Shade and Zak. But they had to keep moving before the snowfall began. Otherwise, their journey would only become more difficult.

So now, here they were back in the forest, away from the towering buildings. And only further away from the two lost colony members. They had stopped to have a rest and hunt to recover their energy, beneath a large water tower. Ariel had told the him and Ben not to stray too far. She didn't want to risk losing either them. Bartho could understand why she would be worried and he respected her wishes, only staying around the vicinity of the Human structure.

"So," Ben piped up softly, the chubby Silverwing roosted next to his brother on a birch tree, "Todd and Breeze have been unusually chummy with us the last few days, huh? I mean, weren't they Chinook's idols before? Sorry, I meant _former_ idols. What's that about?"

"I think they're just looking for real friends, for a change," Bartho replied with a sigh, "Chinook isn't exactly 'friend' material. Not after how he treated Shade for so long. Honestly, I'm glad it was Zak that seemed to bring some sense into the both of them. Nocturna knows I would never really have the nerve to stand up to Chinook like he did."

"Hey, c'mon, you're amazing! I think it's cool that you'd rather talk things out instead of, y'know, getting into a fight. I know I would want to avoid doing that."

"Still, what Shade said before...did I not do enough to help him? I mean, I tried talking to Chinook to get him to back off. I really did try! But...was it enough? Maybe if I had tried harder to help him none of this wouldn't have happened. Shade would never have dared look at the sun."

"Hey, hey!" Ben grabbed the Greenwing's shoulder lightly, "Don't do that to yourself, Bartho. What happened wasn't your fault. It's not going to do you any good if you start blaming yourself for something that was out of your control. And you're doing great with Shade! Don't put yourself down, either!" The Silverwing smiled softly, "I'll bet all the tiger moths in the north that he and Zak are already on their way to us now, figuring out the sound map and all that! I'm still worried for him, sure, but I have a good feeling that he's alive. He'll come back to us soon."

Bartho couldn't help but be impressed by the other teen's words. Sure, he really did think that he was somewhat at fault for Shade breaking the law. But listening to Ben's words gave him a bit of comfort. He was right. Blaming himself wasn't going to do anything for him except stress himself out. Like the chubby Silverwing was, he had to think positively and have hope that Shade would find his way back. Despite his feelings about the stranger before, he also really hoped that Zak was alive and helping guide the small Silverwing along the way.

"You're right, Ben. Thanks for that. When did you grow so wise?" He wrapped the softer bat in a warm hug. Ben just chuckled and happily snuggled into the Greenwing's warm fur.

"Hey, I only learned from the best big brother Shade and I ever had! You really are amazing, you know that?" He was still smiling before he spotted something past the Greenwing, then the grin had faltered, forming into a more concerned and irked expression, "Uh-oh. Incoming."

Bartho wondered what he was referring to until he turned around, spotting Chinook flying up to the birch they were occupying. A dour look formed on his face as the Silverwing landed on the next branch over, giving the two of them what was probably supposed to be a charming smile. But, quite clearly, he was nervous. More nervous then usual.

"Hey. So, uhhh, what's going on with you guys? Nice night, huh? You find any good bugs? Some of them kinda have a funny taste, eh?"

Bartho and Ben just looked at the teen, which only made him more nervous before the chubby Silverwing spoke.

"Yeah. Funny. Listen, Bartho, just remember what I said, yeah? I'll see you back with the rest of the colony when you're ready to go." With a graceful dismount, Ben made his way back to the water tower, only giving Chinook the quickest of glances as he passed him. Now it was just him and the Greenwing left alone. And he didn't look particularly happy to see him. The navy blue bat cleared his throat, suddenly finding himself unable to look him right in the eyes.

"Hey, um, Bartho, right? Shade talked about you a few times. I mean, I've seen you around before, but-!"

"What do you want, Chinook?" The Silverwing blinked at him.

"W-What? What do you mean? I'm just trying to make small-talk here."

"No, that's not what you're trying to do. Why are you coming to see me? Of all bats?" Bartho glared, "As far as I know you haven't spoken to either me, Ben or even Shade ever since the law was broken. I understand your mother trying to keep you away from us. But why choose now to talk to me? What are you hoping to gain from this?" For the first time, Chinook not only looked lost but he looked vulnerable.

He just took a breath.

"Okay. Alright, fine, you want me to be honest? I wanted to...wanted to...geez, I'm not good at this kind of thing."

"But being a total jerk to Shade is what you're really good at, huh." The Greenwing shot back rather sharply, making Chinook wince.

"Hey, I'm trying to apologize to you here! And, okay, I might have been a little harsh with the runt-", Bartho snapped his head towards him faster then the Silverwing expected, "I mean, Shade! Shade! I meant Shade!"

"See, Chinook, that's your problem there. No matter how many times I've tried to talk to you, it always comes right on back to this. You go right back to belittling Shade, calling him a runt when you know, I'm very sure you do, that he hates being called that. Not everyone is born perfect like you, you know? Shade can't help that he was born two weeks earlier then you and the others! I hate speaking for him, but I have to if it means getting the point across to you! I try to be nice to you, Chinook, I really do. Violence isn't in my nature, especially when it comes to a fifteen year old who thinks bullying someone makes him appear cooler to others. I'm surprised Todd and Breeze stuck around with you for so long with everything you do to Shade."

"I'm sixteen." Chinook muttered slightly.

"No, you be quiet! Alright? _I'm_ talking and _you_ are going to listen!" Bartho snapped at him. The very first time he very nearly lost his temper. That was enough to shock the teen into silence, "I don't know much about Cassiel myself, but I do know that Ariel misses him every day. How do you think she feels knowing that you talk bad about her late husband behind her back and right at Shade? That's right, she does know, but you know what? She tries, Chinook. She tries to ignore all the awful things you say because she doesn't want to believe that those things are true. He's gone, Chinook. It's very disrespectful of you to even say what you say about him. You wouldn't like it if someone did that about your dad, right?" He could very briefly hear the Silverwing mutter a reply, but he had to lean in closer to hear him, "What? Speak up."

"N-No," Chinook stuttered, unable to look Bartho in the eye, "No. I...I'd hate that."

"No, it wouldn't feel so good, would it? And you wouldn't like it either if you were born smaller then the rest of the colony, only to be made fun of and bullied due to your height and size. Right?" The Greenwing moved past the Silverwing to make his exit, but stopped at the end of the branch, "Chinook. I appreciate the fact that you're trying to apologize and make up for what you've done. But to be honest with you? It's not me, not Ben and not Ariel you should be apologizing to. It's Shade. And you'd better hope he does make it back to us. And Zak? I don't know him well, but from what Shade told me, he's good company for him. That way, at least he has someone looking after him if they're both alive."

He made to leave, but again, he stopped. Only this time he didn't turn to Chinook.

"You know, I was starting to blame myself for what Shade had done. I'm like an older brother to him. Not just for him, but for Ben, too. Considering what he went through before. I thought that if I had tried harder at being a better brother, he never would have made that dare with you. But he reminded me that it wasn't me who's at fault for anything. The colony shouldn't be blaming Shade for what happened to Tree Haven. And I shouldn't be blaming myself for something that I had no role in." The Greenwing glanced back ever so slightly, "You are the one that should be to blame, really. None of this would have happened if you didn't take up that dare. We'd still have Tree Haven."

"I didn't want him showing me up!" Chinook suddenly blurted out. His ears were laid flat against his head now, showing the emotion he was feeling now from the dose of reality he had been given, "Okay? I was showing off for Todd and Breeze and-! A-And when Shade made that dare? I had to take it! I didn't want to look weak in front of them! They were my only friends in the colony who actually wanted to hang out with me. If I didn't try the dare, they would have moved on to someone else. I didn't want to be alone. Alright? I'll admit it, I'm afraid of being alone."

Bartho didn't respond to him. Not for a few seconds. Only delivering one final response.

"You're already alone, Chinook."

With that, Bartho finally took flight in the direction of the water tower, leaving the Silverwing standing by himself in the forest. He didn't move. Only looking where the Greenwing had left. His vision started becoming blurry, confusing him for a moment before he realized what they were. And he hated what it was. All he could do was lean his head against the smooth yet slightly rough surface of the birch tree, propping his arms up against it so that his wings covered up his face.

But the tears starting to roll down his cheeks he could not hide from himself.

Chinook silently cursed at himself. Bartho's words kept repeating in his mind. Words that struck him much more then the Greenwing believed. They were like Todd's words from before the storm. Before they lost Zak and Shade. But they hit him much harder.

Was he really to blame? Todd thought so. Even Breeze, now that he remembered. Both of them were purposefully keeping their distance from him now. Only hanging out with Ben and Bartho after everything that happened. His two friends. Gone. None of the other pups interacted with him, either. And he knew why. The realization made the tears run hotter as he lowered to his knees. Trying not let his sobs be heard, only coming out as a sharp inhale and exhale. But he could not stop a soft strained sob from leaving him.

He really was to blame.

* * *

**The present...**

* * *

"So...what do you think Zephyr wanted to talk to him about?" Marina asked, keeping herself busy scanning the surrounding area of the alley.

"Talk to who?" Shade grunted, trying to yank the entire stinging nettle root out of the ground.

"To Zak! What do you think Zephyr wanted to talk to him about? It seems kind of weird that he asked him to stay behind while sending us out, right? And seriously, Shade, just picking the leaves off is good enough, you don't have to-!" Shade suddenly went flying backward as the root finally ripped free from the earth. Marina sighed, giving a deadpan look at her friend, "Nevermind. Good job."

"Thanks," Shade just grinned while taking the leaves off of the stock, blissfully unaware of the face the female was giving him, "I don't know. Well, Zephyr said he wanted to talk to him in private, so...I'm pretty sure that private means private. Right?"

"Seriously, Shade. I don't know about you, but it feels like Zephyr might be hiding something. I always hated it when my parents would tell me to go somewhere else when they would have their 'grownup talks'." The Brightwing scoffed, "Like, what's the problem? I'm actually a little curious to know what they're talking about. Aren't you?" The Silverwing gave a long unsure shrug, though he was running Marina's words through his mind over and over. Curiousity building slowly. Now that she got his attention, the female thought of something else, "What if Zephyr's secretly teaching him an easier way to echo project? That could happen, right?"

Shade's ears twitched. She knew she had him now. He turned to look at her, but gave an odd expression.

"You really want to know what they're talking about, huh."

"Okay, yes, I admit it. So whaddya think, Shade?"

"Yeah, let's go see."

Without needing anymore persuasion, both teens quickly gathered the stinging nettle they needed and flew back to the cathedral. Being mindful not to make too much noise the pair carefully landed in the gargoyle's mouth and proceeded in slowly. But to their confusion they didn't see the albino nor the Greywing anywhere in sight. That was until they could hear someone talking from a passage below them, just right next to the entrance. Marina signaled to Shade to keep quiet as they carefully climbed down the wood post near them, crouching next to the passageway as the voices became more clear. They could hear Zak's voice a little easier now.

_**"I mean, it's not that I don't want them to know ever. I'm just worried about how they might take it."**_

**_"About your true identity and how it may make you look in their eyes."_**

They heard Zephyr reply. But the two teens only felt confused by those words. What was Zak talking about? What identity? They kept quiet but they focused on the conversation happening only a few feet away from them.

* * *

"Yeah, that's my main concern," Zak sighed, "I'm not going to lie. Humans aren't a perfect species. I'm well aware of the negative effect they have on the animals and their environment. Not only forests but any piece of land they get their hands on is destroyed to make way for new structures and the like. Their vehicles pollute the air and even the seas. It almost makes me feel ashamed to be a part of a species that causes harm to the world."

"And yet there are some good humans, from what you've told me." Zephyr reminded, "Like the shelter you came from?"

Zak nodded, "Yeah. There are good humans in the world. They try and clean up the mess left behind by others. Other humans. They protect animals, the forests and even the oceans. But is that enough to excuse the actions of others? That's what I'm afraid of learning if not just Shade and Marina know about me being human, but his colony. Nevermind that, but what about the entire animal kingdom? How are they going to react to the news that a human lives among them in the body of a bat? I mean, I never expected to find myself here in the first place!" At that, Zephyr hummed thoughtfully, stroking his beard as a new question formed.

"How did you become like this, Zak? It's not everyday you hear of a human turning into a bat."

"If I told you, you'd probably think I'm crazy." The Greywing looked at the elder, only to see him quietly beckoning him to continue and tell him. He sighed softly, preparing for the only explanation he knew for his transformation, "You know Nocturna, right? I don't know much about her except from what Shade told me about her so far. My first few friends in the shelter I didn't share this with. Somehow, I don't how, but before I became like this? I made a wish. Don't know if that had anything to do with what happened, but I wished to be taken somewhere else. Because my life was becoming too stressful for me to handle. Next thing I know, this voice starts talking to me, it sounds like a woman. A female, I mean. She tells me her name is Nocturna and that I have a purpose to fulfill because...I don't know. Destiny, I guess? Next thing I know I'm waking up in the animal shelter. No more human me. Now just...fluffy...furry...bat me."

For a moment, Zephyr's white eyes seemed to light up the moment Nocturna was mentioned. He seemed genuinely amazed hearing that she was responsible for his new form.

"My boy," He said softly as a smile formed on his lips, "You were graced by the goddess of the night herself. In our culture, Nocturna is the one who watches over all bats who fly in the night. Legends say that her wings are the night sky itself, and the moon is her eye keeping watch over all bats. Even to those who don't worship her. The fact that she came before you and granted this body is a sign that you're destined for greater things. Perhaps it is destiny that you're here, guiding Shade back to his colony and, maybe; even beyond. That all depends on you, really. What is it that you want to do?" Zak thought about it. For now, he had no idea when he would be able to turn back. If he could even turn back at all, really. But he knew what he needed to do, at least for now.

"Right now, I want to get Shade back to his colony. And bring Marina to meet their elder, Frieda. The rest, I'll figure out on the way and when all of this is over. I just hope I'll live long enough to see it through, considering all that's happened already."

"Have faith, Zak," Zephyr smiled, walking over to the young adult to present to him the bag he had been filling, "Nocturna brought you into our small yet large world for a reason. I'm sure there's something that will help you on your journey. Perhaps even a special gift for your time spent here?" Zak looked over the bag, rather amazed to see that it had been crafted well. There were only two straps meant to be tied together, and they were padded, probably as not to put too much pressure on where they were meant to hang. By the looks of it, it was supposed to be tied around his neck. A makeshift travel sack.

"There is something I've noticed at least once," He replied, readying the bag on himself as he talked, "When Shade and I were attacked by an owl, I got this sudden tingle. Then I was getting flashes of what was going to attack us before it even happened. Almost like a...spider sense, or something." He stopped when he realized Zephyr gave him a funny look at the words he used, "Umm...that's from a...a-a comic book. Which is a book full of pictures that tell a story, and, uhh, the spider sense thing comes from the-"

"Don't worry about it," Zephyr only chuckled, "I'm just kidding. I've been here long enough to know about some human objects and what they're used for. I've even heard of some bats who choose to live here in the city that have discovered some of these things. Human music, those comics you were talking about. You'd be surprised how many actually live here. Just in various different places. Walk with me again, would you kindly?"

* * *

Shade and Marina were in shock and awe the entire time the conversation was carrying on. Never, in their lives, would they have known that Zak, their first friend; was actually a human. But it made sense, now that they thought about it.

For Shade, now he understood how the Greywing would have known about there being giant bats in the world. Being a human, he would know about the birds and beasts, wouldn't he? Where they lived and the like.

And for Marina, she had a better understanding of the odd expression he had used the previous night, about him being in her 'shoes'. As well as his knowledge on what the noise-making tower was actually called. Just how much did he know from the start since they met? Did he know what the bands truly meant? Were they even special to begin with? What did he know about the Humans and their plans for all the others who were banded?

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Shade suddenly began tapping her shoulder urgently, the look on his face telling her they had to move. Zak and Zephyr were coming out of the room. Now in a slight panic, the Brightwing and Silverwing frantically looked for anywhere they could possibly hide to avoid being caught for eavesdropping. But with no suitable hiding spot, their only chance of feigning innocence was to climb back up the post, as quietly as possible, and wait out in the gargoyle's mouth. It was only a few seconds after they managed to scamper back up to the main entrance that Zak and Zephyr exited the storage chamber.

"Now whether or not that you tell your friends who you really are depends entirely on you," The albino crooned, "Though might I suggest you do it soon? I understand you wanting to keep it hidden due to the rocky history your species has with nature and the animals. But also, keep this in mind, hiding such a big secret for so long can only result in creating a rift between you and those you've grown close to if it comes to light _before_ you're ready to tell them."

"I understand what you mean. I'll...I'll try and tell them. When I'm ready." Zak replied softly.

"Good. Because that's the important thing when it comes to friends. You be honest with them." Zephyr glanced up to the spire's entrance and called out, "Finished collecting that stinging nettle? You two only just got back, yes?" After a second of silence the soft clicks of claws against stone emanated from within the small tunnel, before Shade and Marina appeared. Trying to appear innocent, they both smiled a little unevenly.

"Uh, yep! Just got back! Definitely. We got the stinging nettle you asked for." The Silverwing chirped, showing off the handful of the leaves in hand. Zephyr only smiled as he beckoned the teens to come down to his and Zak's position.

"Good, good. Go ahead and set them with the others, then gather around. I want to give you all one last piece of advice before you leave for the Silverwing colony." After they were done, the three younger bats stood at attention in front of the elder, "I don't think I need to tell either of you that the journey ahead won't be an easy one. What with the skies being closed to bats and the birds in an uproar, all three of you will need to be careful. _Very_."

"What about the echo projection training?" Shade asked, feeling more then a little disappointed that the lessons would be cut short.

"There's really nothing more to teach you, Shade. The rest you're going to have to figure out on your own. Just remember what I've told you. Your emotions can hinder how your projections will appear. Keep a clear mind and picture the subject you want to project. And with practice, you'll be able to make flawless echo projections." The elderly albino turned to Marina next, "Marina, remember what I told you about your band. It may seem like bad luck, but only if you believe it. Whether what your colony says about the bands are true or not, it's up to you what you make of it. Just remember the Promise. Who knows, somewhere on your path the bands may help you in some way. Maybe not. Prophecies work in mysterious ways. But keep your chin up, my dear."

Marina gave a small smile in understanding, "I'll try, Zephyr. Thank you."

The albino turned to Zak next, his smile holding something new, "And you, young man. Considering you're the oldest in the group, that makes you the guardian of your friends in a way. Even so, you must be careful. There are many dangers in the north. Much more then you'd might expect. Take what you've learned from the shelter and from what you've experienced up to this point, to keep not only yourself but your charges safe. Now I've packed some essentials, in case you need them. Medicine and dried foods. Keep the bag safe. If you lose it, you'll need to forage for what you need yourselves." The Greywing nodded.

"Of course. I'll keep them safe. And the bag, of course. Thank you, Zephyr, for everything."

"Yeah, thanks. We really do appreciate it." Marina added, smiling more brightly then before. But, of course, there was hint of sadness for having to leave the elder so soon.

"Thanks, Zephyr. I won't forget what you've taught me. Oh, I almost forgot! If you can hear everything that's going on, could you maybe hear where my colony is and what they're doing?" Shade asked hopefully, but was met with a slow shake of Zephyr's head.

"There's only so much that I can really hear, Shade, but there is one thing I am gifted in. Sensing the future. I can see it all in here," He pointed to his own head, "It's not so much as seeing visions. But rather, it's listening to lingering echoes that have remained. From things that have happened maybe only hours ago, like you three escaping the pigeons, or even things that have happened years ago. There are always echoes of the past around us. It's all about listening carefully. The same can be done for future events. If your hearing is good enough, you'll be able to see it."

"Could you see if we're able to catch up to my colony? Please?" If it was possible, he had to know if they would make the journey. That, and if his colony was still safe. The trio watched as Zephyr exhaled, closing his eyes before hunching over lightly as his large ears stood up straight and began to twitch, before taking in a deep breath and spreading his wings out wide. Whether it was to try and help keep whatever sounds he was hearing close to him, the group didn't know. But the more the albino concentrated, the more they started to see an odd change taking place.

It almost looked like the insides of Zephyr's wings were changing color. Going from the a shade of grey to a much darker color, then completely turning black, but not without some peculiar twinkling coming from inside them. Shade couldn't take his eyes off of what looked like the stars themselves shining in the old bat's wings, before he began to speak.

"I can see your journey ahead will be difficult, but not without help from an unexpected ally. But those with metal on their wings...beware. They will try and introduce themselves as allies. One of them can be trusted enough...but the other. There's only evil in their heart." Zephyr spoke slowly, ears swiveling and twitching to keep the echoes close, "All of you will find Hibernaculum. But who reaches it first, I can't tell. Others are searching for it." At this, Shade grew alarmed.

"Who? Who else is looking for it?"

Zephyr kept listening, but soon he exhaled, letting his wings relax before opening his eyes once more. "My apologies, but I couldn't see anymore. But, Shade, you need to get to your colony as soon as you can. Not just them, but all colonies are in danger. The Silverwings are south of the city, through the valley heading towards the mountains. About a night and a half's flight from here."

"Then we should get going," Zak responded quickly, "The skies might be dangerous for us but we have to try. Right? I'll lead, that way I can keep an eye on what's ahead of us."

"Sounds good," Marina nodded sagely, "Then Shade and I can watch the sides. Easy. But still, we should be careful nothing tries to sneak up on us. We should try and flow low so no pigeons or owls see us." The Silverwing just watched and listened to the two of them plan their formation, feeling somewhat impressed and envious that they already knew what to do.

"Then it's settled. Zephyr, again, thank you so much for your help." The Greywing smiled gratefully at the albino, "If we hadn't met you, we probably wouldn't know what else to do. I hope we get to see each other again, someday. Until next time." The young adult turned around and flew back up to the exit. Shade and Marina went to follow, but both stopped to say their goodbyes to the albino, before they went out as well. But before they could take flight, Zephyr came up behind them.

"One more thing. Use the stars to navigate. Should you lose your way, look for the brightest star. And use that as your heading." He pointed up into the night sky, encouraging the three bats to look for themselves, before spotting said star. "That is your direction to find the Silverwings. And follow your sound map, Shade. Trust it if you're ever in doubt." With his final piece of advice, the three young bats had their course and followed it, giving their goodbyes once more before taking flight into the crisp night air of the city.

Zephyr listened to their wingbeats slowly fade into the distance, drowned out from the noises of the humans machines, before whispering to the three travelers.

"May your visions stay clear. And may Nocturna guide your way. Be safe, young ones."

As the trio kept low, Shade and Marina glanced toward the Greywing that headed their formation. The conversation they had heard between him and Zephyr was still clear in their heads.

A Human. That's what he was, even though he didn't look like it. A Human in a bat's body. It was almost too difficult to believe. Especially learning that Nocturna, who they both thought was just a story, had a hand in changing him.

But why would he try and hide it from them? It was a shock to learn the truth, yes, but they would have understood if he talked to them about it. Sure, they eavesdropped when they shouldn't have, but still. It left a slightly bad feeling that Zak would lie about his identity. As much as it hurt a little, the pair chose to keep quiet. Whether he would tell them or not, they would wait until he was ready. But they sincerely hoped that maybe he would tell them sooner rather then later.

Even they knew that not all animals held the Humans in high regard.

"Guys, I need to know if I was just seeing things or not, but," Zak suddenly spoke up, "Did you see Zephyr's wings?"

"I thought it was just me." Shade answered, "It looked like they turned into the sky."

"Like there were...stars in his wings." Marina breathed, still in disbelief that something like that had actually happened.

The trio all went quiet. Knowing they weren't the only ones to have seen such a change take place.

* * *

Throbb blew warm air through his hands, his breath lightly misting in the air. He was not used to the cold weather at all. And neither was Goth. Rubbing his hands together to warm them up the two of them scanned the environment around themselves. Something they had been doing for the past several hours in an effort to try and find other bats. His brother had come up with a plan to find themselves a guide to better navigate, in his words, the frozen wasteland. But so far, they had not seen hide nor hair of any bats. Things were starting to look helpless for the both of them.

"This is ridiculous!" Goth suddenly growled, wrapped up in his own wings to try and combat the chilly air, "How are there not any bats here? So far there have only been birds, birds and more birds! This won't do!"

"And rats," Throbb quickly interjected, "Don't forget rats. They were better then the mice we were getting in that fake jungle, anyway."

"Rats, mice, whatever, they're no help except in filling our bellies with food and energy." The red haired prince muttered, rubbing his shoulders firmly to try and warm up better, "And speaking of, we need another meal soon. That'll help keep us warm." Throbb's stomach rumbled loudly at the mention of food, but he frowned at himself.

"Ever since we ate those three pigeons it's like the rest suddenly went into hiding," He pointed out, taking another look around and passing over the carcass of another pigeon they had shared only a couple hours ago, "We got lucky with this one, but that's it. The rats, well, they don't exactly taste the best. We need to find a guide soon, and fast. I'm really starting to miss our home."

Both the royals missed their home. The lush and humid air of the jungle. It was paradise for the both of them to be able to fly in the warmth of the sunlight, hunting for only the most succulent and abundant of prey. The lizards were Throbb's favorite. He loved the toughness of the reptile's skin and the texture of the meat. Birds were his second favorite, but he wasn't a fan of the feathers that often got stuck to his mouth when grabbing them. Now that he thought about it further, the pigeons weren't exactly that great. Their feathers had an odd taste to them. Probably due to them living in this concrete jungle of theirs. His stomach rumbled at him insistently again, forcing him to put his hands over his belly in an attempt to try and quiet it down.

_'Zotz, I'm so hungry. There wasn't much meat on that pigeon. And Goth ate most of it while I only got a few scraps. I hope we find someone to guide us soon. And some food. It would be nice to get a proper meal rather then having to always fight for my share'_

"Ah, Throbb! I think we've found our guides after all." Goth suddenly spoke up, sounding excited and relieved. The chubbier male moved up beside him and turned where his taller counterpart was looking. Thanks to their sharp eyes, the pair could make out three bats about fifty wingbeats away from them. They were keeping unusually low to the buildings. But the slight confusion faded when they picked up a pair of owls stationed on two separate buildings further ahead of the group. They were very large birds, the owls. Goth nudged his shoulder and gave him an impish smile, "Why don't we go down and make a good first impression, eh, _hermano_? I fancy some owl meat tonight."

With a mighty pump of his wings, the larger Vampyrum dove off the roof and began to head towards where the owls and bats were going to cross paths. With a sigh, Throbb fluttered his wings for a moment before following after. Somehow, he had a feeling that nothing good would come of them hunting the birds. He didn't know why, but there was that nagging feeling in the back of his mind.

As he looked ahead, he could already see one of the owls leave it's perch and move right for the small group of bats.

It had grabbed the one flying in front of the other two. Then he heard the scream of a young female. It sounded like she was only still just a pup. Maybe slightly older, but still young.

This encouraged Throbb to fly faster. These were younglings that were in danger. He wasn't about to let them become victims of the owls.

"Goth, we'd better hurry!"

* * *

The leather bag plummeted to the streets far below them. The predatory bird's grip had jostled him so much it loosened the straps around his neck. He could only watch it become a tiny dot as it fell, itself immediately getting crushed under the wheels of a passing car.

**"Zak!"**

Marina shouted out to him, having just seconds ago screamed when the owl suddenly came out of nowhere and grabbed him. He tried what he did with the pigeons, biting into the hard flesh of the bird's foot, but the owl only gave a bone chilling hiss and shook him to get him to stop. Only a short distance away the Greywing spotted another owl, this time gunning straight for Shade, but ignoring Marina. The Brightwing was trying to follow and keep from losing the two of them. Who knew where these owls were going to take them, let alone do with them.

"Shade!" The Greywing yelled, but he couldn't warn the little Silverwing in time before he too was grabbed.

But as he continued to struggle, the owl suddenly began screeching and flying erratically. Zak grunted as he was mildly tossed around in the owl's talons before their grip was released. He fell for a few seconds before getting his balance and hovered on the spot. What happened to make the owl suddenly act that way? As he looked up at the massive creature, he saw why.

And it nearly made him stop flapping his wings it had shocked him. Clinging to the owl's back was a bat. A very large one, at that. From what he was able to see it had dark colored wings and a head of purple hair. They were growling quite viciously as they bit into the owl, causing it to screech in pain and dive down lower to the buildings. Another screech caught his and Marina's attention as the owl that had gone for Shade was also being attacked. Yet another giant bat had appeared, but this one seemed to be taking pleasure in the situation as they let out a loud laugh. The owl, at least this one, wasn't going to go quietly and was trying to attack in return. Both them and the giant bat dropped down towards the rooftops as they fought.

"C'mon!" Marina shouted at him, Shade coming up to Zak's other side as they flew down lower as well, "Down here! We can get some cover!"

They hid behind a block of concrete, possibly left behind by someone working on the roof, and unfortunately, not too far away from where the large bat and the owl had crash landed. The Greywing peeked out carefully to get a better look at the owl's opponent. Just like the one who attacked that owl that grabbed him, this bat was huge in size. Red hair, a dark cream colored body and a lighter colored mane. Their wings were tinged a partly light and dark shade of color. He sensed Shade and Marina peek out from behind him to watch the whole spectacle. The owl furiously swiped a wing at the bat, but they easily dodged the strike before striking the bird with a well aimed slash of their claw. The grey feathered owl was now sporting a large cut on it's chest that started oozing blood. But the bird only hissed. It was not going to back down without a fight.

After trying to strike again, the giant bat crawled across the ground and onto the wall near them with frightening speed. There they perched, glaring down at the owl with a testing grin on their face. The owl only let out a challenging screech as they too glared back. All it took was one quick leap and the bat had grabbed the large bird by the shoulders, throwing both of themselves down to the ground.

Right near where the trio had been hiding.

They just watched as the bat clamped their jaws down onto the owl's neck, the bird giving a screech of pain and fear, before it became more strangled. A sickening muffled crack could be heard before the bird went limp.

Zak's hand shot up to his mouth from the sight and sound, shocked from the sudden violent end to the owl's life. But his, Shade and Marina's were focused on the bat themselves, who was now looking at them with an unreadable expression. He was a male, judging from the neat goatee he sported, neatly styled. Though they were unsettled by a drop of blood running down his chin.

The male daintily wiped it away with a flick of his hand, before giving a charming smile to the three bats. Zak protectively put his arms in front of Marina and Shade.

"Greetings, little ones," Despite his imposing appearance, his voice was surprisingly smooth and poise, and with a noticeable Spanish accent; giving a light bow, "Sorry for the fright, but I couldn't help but notice the three of you in quite the predicament. But do not fear, you are all safe now." He waited for a response, but was only met with cautious gazes from the Greywing and Brightwing. Though Shade himself, despite the dead owl in front of them, seemed in awe. "My apologies, I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Goth. Pleasure to meet your acquaintances, uhhh...? Your names are?"

"Uhh, h-hi," Shade stuttered lightly, clearing his throat before he spoke again, "M-My name's-"

"Don't." Zak hushed, whispering as quietly as he could, "We don't know who these bats are. For all we know they could be the ones the pigeons are looking for. Remember? The ones who actually committed the murders?" He didn't tell Shade that the back of his neck started to tingle.

"But they saved us, didn't they?" The teen protested, "Come on, the least we can do is introduce ourselves! He took down an owl! An _owl_! These are the bats you talked about before, right? The giant ones from far down south?"

"Yes, but I wasn't expecting them to be so far up north! Wait, where's the other one?" The Greywing anxiously looked around before the other large bat came gliding over them, landing near Goth. They were shorter, and quite chubby by the looks of it and their beard looked a little more rugged, but well-groomed. They appeared to have some muscle definition, at least from what Zak could see. Though their mouth was noticeably bloodier.

"Ah, here's my, eh, other partner." Goth didn't seem very thrilled about the other bat, "This is my half brother, Throbb." The shorter male quickly but neatly wiped the blood away before giving a light bow of his head towards them.

"Greetings. Are you all alright? Why are you out here by yourselves?" He asked. Like Goth, his voice was deep, slightly gravelly with an accent, but his tone suggested he wasn't a threat to them. He seemed genuinely concerned about their well-being. The male's eyes scanned the three bats curiously, before he spoke up again. "You're not with your colony?"

This time, Zak decided to speak. But he had to be careful with his choice of words. Like any kid back where he was from, he was taught never to trust strangers. Though he wasn't sure if the same teachings would apply to two clearly carnivorous bats, judging from the blood on Throbb's mouth before. He cleared his throat.

"We're fine. Thanks. And, no, we are with a colony but we fell behind due to a storm." Zak explained, still standing protectively in front of the two younger bats, "Look, we really appreciate your help. We really do. Goth and Throbb, right? Thank you, but, we really need to be on our way." He turned around and ushered his friends away, though Marina didn't need any convincing and briskly walked ahead of him and Shade, "With the skies closed to bats we need to be more careful then ever if we're going to catch up to our colony."

"Wait! Zak, hang on a second! Maybe they can help us!" Shade whined, managing to move out of the way of the Greywing's arm, the young adult trying to stop him and call him back, "Hi again. Uhh, I didn't get a chance to tell you my name before."

"Hey! No! We need to go! Like...now!" Zak whispered, though quite loudly despite that. But Shade chose to ignore him.

"My name's Shade. And these are my friends," Both the other bats gave him pleading glares, only for them to go unnoticed, "That's Zak and that's Marina."

Both bats rubbed at their eyes in frustration. Zak gave an irritated groan, while Marina just fixed an incredulous expression at the Silverwing. This was not missed by the red haired bat.

"Your friends don't seem very keen on us learning your names, young Shade." Goth crooned, his smile fading. Shade only shrugged before he sensed the other two come up beside him. He faltered when his eyes met the hard glare Zak was giving him before looking back at the other pair.

"Look, forgive me, but where I'm from? We don't usually talk to strangers. Let alone ones that can kill owls without any trouble. _That_, especially. But there's nothing I can do much about it now, thanks to our friend here." He quickly shot another stern gaze down at the Silverwing, who's ears splayed back from the look.

"They were harassing you, no? We were only doing the right thing with taking care of them for you. No thanks is needed, really." Goth grinned proudly, all the while Throbb went over to check over the owl's corpse. "Where are you headed? Perhaps we can...help you? See, my brother and I are sort of in need of help, ourselves. We're from far down south and we have no idea how to navigate these...northern stars. If you'd allow us, we can be your bodyguards, in a way. And you can be our guides in this unfamiliar land. What do you say, Zak? That is your name, yes?"

"That'd be great-!" Shade blurted excitedly, only for a hand to clasp over his mouth to silence him.

"Could you excuse us?" Zak grinned politely while moving themselves further away, but immediately dropped it once he had his back turned. Only after being sure they were far enough away to speak without the two southern bats hearing them did the Greywing let go, "Shade, what do you think you're doing? By the way, thanks for telling them our names! And I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible!"

"What? You said it yourself! With the skies being closed to us bats we're going to need to be more then careful! And look what they did!" He pointed to Goth and Throbb, the both of them now lingering close by the owl's body, "I mean, sure, it was really scary but it was kind of awesome! In a...scary and...bloody...kind of way."

"Are you out of your roost, Shade?" Marina groaned, pinching the spot between her eyes, "Like Zak said, those could be the very bats that killed those pigeons and got the skies closed to us. It should have been obvious the moment they showed up! Look, I'm really glad you two are okay, but still! It's not helping us if _you_ are trying to decide for _us_!"

"But-"

"Zak is the oldest one here! Not counting those other guys, of course. I'm almost a year older then you, Shade, but that's not the point. I think he should decide what we do, right?" She crossed her arms and glanced at the Greywing expectantly, "So, what do you think? Should we take our chances by ourselves? Because that's what I vote for. Unless you think we should go along with these...possibly, meat eating bats. Something doesn't feel right with them, but...still. It's up to you."

The young adult was about to answer before Shade cut in.

"Zak, _please_," He pleaded softly, "They won't have to stay with us long. Just let them come with us for a little while. Like, maybe they can come with us halfway? Then that's it! C'mon, give them a chance? They did save us."

The Greywing looked at the two teens, one from the other, trying to gauge which choice would be better. He turned and looked back at the southerners, finding them still standing around the dead owl, but clearly they were feasting on it. Quite graphically, he noticed. Goth was exceptionally brutal as he vigorously shook his head to tear off a chunk of meat, occasionally snarling at Throbb if he strayed too close to his area of the bird. But in return, the purple haired male growled lowly in response, but calmly went back to biting clean pieces off for himself. Both had blood dripping down their chins as they feasted.

"Well...they definitely are meat eaters. But looks like it's only with other animals. At least. But still, I'm not comfortable with travelling with a couple of killers, either." He said softly, looking down at Shade specifically. But the Silverwing just clasped his hands together, giving him the same pleading look from before. He let out a sharp sigh, shaking his head slowly, "I'll admit, if they weren't here, Shade and I would have been carried off by the owls. But listen, Marina, I'm not agreeing with Shade, but think about it. Maybe...just maybe, having Goth and Throbb around will make things a little easier for us. We'll be safe. I'll just make sure that they know not to keep killing every hapless bird that comes across us."

Shade looked ready to cheer but he stopped him, "But! If they do anything weird that could cause us harm in any sort of way, Shade? They're gone. They can find their own way home, regardless if they know the way or not. We don't know who these bats are. So we need to be careful around them, too. Got it?" The Silverwing visibly deflated. As much as he didn't want to crush his hopes, Zak was thinking carefully and realistically. When he still didn't get an answer, he did what any parent would do, even though he felt he was more of an older sibling. He repeated himself, "Shade. Do you get it? If they do anything out of the ordinary, they're gone. We move on by ourselves. Alright?"

Shade only sighed and frowned. But he did nod in understanding. The Greywing nodded in return, looking to Marina next, who sighed as well and just gave a curt nod in return.

"Alright. Goth? Throbb?" Zak called out to the larger bats, "We talked it over. You and your brother can travel with us. But on one condition! I understand that the two of you are meat eaters, right? I mean...I don't think I really have to ask." He pointed to their bloodied mouths, Throbb just finishing chewing and swallowing another bit of meat. Goth only wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before licking it clean. He spat the blood off to the side of him.

"And what is this condition you have, hm?" He asked with a brow raised in interest.

"I'm going to have to ask you and your brother to not kill whatever bird or animal that comes across us. Again, I understand you're carnivores, but please, I think we have enough issues with the birds coming after us about the pigeons being killed in this city." He wasn't about to accuse them of being responsible for the crimes the city birds told them, but the Greywing swore he saw Throbb's eyes widen slightly before glancing up at Goth. That alone told him enough. "Only hunt what you need. That's fair, right? Because...well," He gestured to the half devoured owl behind them, "That's going to be hard to hide."

Without missing a beat, Goth glanced back at the corpse before going to it's side and began dragging it over to the edge of the building. With surprising strength, he heaved the feathered body right over the ledge and gingerly watched it fall. There was a faint thud from below. Most likely the body had landed in a dumpster, by some miracle. Staying silent for a few moments before turning back to the group with a proud grin. Zak and the others just looked on with concern.

"Or...that works." The Greywing muttered, both brows raised.

"There, problem solved." Goth chuckled, before focusing back on the trio. "Alright. I think we have a deal, _amigo_. I swear, we will only hunt when necessary. Isn't that right, Throbb?"

"Y-Yes! Of course. We understand, Zak." The shorter male quickly replied, wiping his mouth quickly, "We're sorry to have caused you and your friends any trouble." Goth rolled his eyes from the apology. But he seemed satisfied with the arrangement.

"Well, shall we get going then, my young friends? You fly ahead and we'll follow right behind you. That way we can keep you all safe and keep a watch for any _unsavory_ characters."

Zak noticed that the tingle wasn't as bad, but it hadn't gone away completely. There was still a need to be cautious. And he wasn't about to forget Zephyr's predictive warning.

'_But beware of those with metal on their wings. One can be trusted enough...but the other can't._'

Both these bats sported a different band from Marina's.

* * *

The Greywing told his friends to go ahead and fly ahead of the pack, Marina nervously glancing at Goth and Throbb before she took flight. Shade followed after but gave the pair a friendly and excited smile. Of course he would be the only one to be excited to have such powerful bats travelling with them. Who could blame him? The Vampyrum Spectrum were naturally amazing, after all. Well, maybe he was. Throbb? He had never seen him actually fight, except when it came to food. As Zak walked past them next, giving them a curt nod, a gust of wind came through. Goth blinked as it blew against him, sending a shiver down his back from how cold it was, but his sensitive nose picked something up. A rather peculiar scent. One that almost reminded him of the Humans in the fake jungle. But perhaps he was just another victim of them, as he and Throbb were, as well as the Brightwing. Considering all of them had bands to show for it. But, strangely, the young adult's wrists were bare.

Throbb was about to take flight, but he quickly stopped him, only so he could speak.

"That Greywing," Goth quietly muttered, "Something about him seems a little...off."

"How do you mean?"

"I _mean_, he smells like the Humans back in that horrid parody of our home. And yet he lacks a band. Don't you think that's odd?" His shorter counterpart seemed to be running it through his mind, looking off to where the others had taken off to.

"That is...strange. You would think that if he had been in contact with the Humans, they would have banded him, too. But, perhaps, the Humans he met were different?"

"Don't be stupid, Throbb!" Goth suddenly growled, glaring at his half sibling but keeping quiet so as not to be heard, "There are no different Humans. They're all the same. There are no 'good' Humans. There are no 'helpful' Humans. They are _only_ Humans. They ruin everything they touch."

The red haired male looked back in the Greywing's direction, "We may have to keep an eye on this one. I get the feeling that we haven't truly left the Humans behind. I could be wrong. Maybe!" He quickly shot a glare at Throbb, "If I am wrong, we don't have to worry about him. For now, we let the young ones guide us. What we do next after? Well, we'll figure it out. And let us stay on their good side, _ci_?" Goth flashed an unsettling grin down at his companion before finally taking flight.

* * *

Throbb did not like the look on his brother's face. Something about it seemed...wrong. Whatever it was, he sincerely hoped that it didn't involve hurting the younglings. Aside from Zak, the other two were only children. Teenagers, yes, but they were still young. He could only sigh as he joined Goth, meeting up with the trio who were waiting for them before they finally began to move out from the city. Shade was saying something about following a specific star to get where they needed to go. Nothing more then that. He didn't blame Marina and the Greywing for being distrustful. Throbb could hear them talking when they thought they were far enough away. The mention of the skies being closed because of pigeons being murdered, it had surprised him. Did...he and Goth really cause that? They didn't mean to, they were only trying to survive! But then that explained why the owls suddenly attacked the trio. Of course it was them who had caused so much trouble already. Throbb hoped things wouldn't get as complicated as they already were.

But as the group headed for the city limits and beyond, distant hoots of more owls sounded out to the two sentries they had posted. Sentries who would never answer back.

* * *

**And our heroes finally meet the meat eating brothers themselves.**

**This is a good opportunity to share with you all my personal headcanon, could be an AU, now that I think about; for Goth and Throbb's family relationship in this story.**

**Rather then going with how he's Goth's brother in law in the show, I started thinking of an entirely different idea that, perhaps, Their parents had actually gotten married to one another. Making them half brothers.**

**Throbb's mother, Queen Shae (thanks to a friend on DA for helping me with the name!), is the ruler of another subspecies of Vampyrum. Unlike Goth's colony, who are tall, perfectly strong and good-looking; Shae and her colony are naturally shorter and are widely known for being a little on the softer side in varying degrees. She is also a single mother.**

**Goth's father, don't have a name for him just yet, will just call him Hatchet for now, was married once before meeting Shae. Years before, Hatchet and his wife welcomed their first son into their family, Nikolaos, before she had become pregnant with their second child, Goth. Sadly, she had fallen ill in the final months of her pregnancy, and had died due to the stress on her body from both her sickness and childbirth; and leaving Hatchet a widower. Goth was born without any lingering issues from his mother's illness, but would grow up not properly knowing her.**

**So to clarify, unlike in the show where Goth very likely has a sister that Throbb married, she does not exist in this setting. He only has his older twin brother.**

**Years later, Queen Shae and King Hatchet would meet to discuss a possible union with their two colonies. Meanwhile, Nikolaos (he prefers to be called Niko, for short) and Goth would meet a young Throbb, whom they become friends with after coaxing the little one out of his shy shell. During that time, Hatchet and Shae would begin to notice an attraction to one another.**

**Long story short, after several more visits, mostly casual and less professional; the two of them fell for one another and were married. Therefore, making Throbb the half brother of Goth and Niko!**

**Also exploring with a different take on Throbb's character for this story and future projects, with him being more serious but still a caring guy. And somewhat of a sweet goof. And it's also to make him more likeable for readers, if they want to see more of this version of him.**

**His personality and behaviour is also inspired by lilgrimmapple's take on him in her two Gone Batty stories, though this time just lacking the most, if not all, of the 'bad guy' in him.**

**Anyway, hope you all enjoy the read!**


	10. A Dark Truth Revealed

**Chapter 8: A Dark Truth Revealed**

* * *

Two hours had passed since they had left the city. Gone were the buildings and other man-made structures that Zak was familiar with, and now there was nothing but trees, trees and more trees. It was nice, actually. There was so much going on before and it really had an effect on his ears. But being in the silence of the forest felt so much better. And it smelled better, too, for that matter.

They had mostly been flying in silence, neither he, nor Marina or even Shade had spoken much to Goth and Throbb. The two southern bats were doing as they promised, keeping their eyes and ears open for any possible danger. Though occasionally, Goth would speak up and ask either Shade or Zak about how different things were in the north. The Silverwing went on and, rather gingerly, explained that he and his colony were migrating to their winter roost.

"Migrating?" Goth questioned curiously.

"It's when we travel a long ways to get to our hibernation roost."

"And what's that? Hibernation." Throbb asked next.

"It's when we sleep for the next few months until the weather gets warmer. Then we're up and back to flying again."

"These are very...interesting customs, Shade." The red headed bat mused, "Sleeping for months on end just to wait for the warm weather? Where my brother and I are from we are always out in the sun. Warm weather all year round. We don't have to worry about hibernation nor migrating. It's quite the life to live, really. Especially considering that Throbb and I are actually royalty of our kind. The Vampyrum Spectrum, is the name of our species." He said this with a proud and smug grin. Shade's face only lit up.

"Royalty? Really? That's so cool!"

"Indeed it is, young Shade. You see, both Throbb and I are kings!"

"We're princes, actually." The chubbier male interjected, causing Goth to grimace at the interruption, "That's right behind the title of king. Like me, for example, I'm only a prince since my mother is the queen and my, well, _our _father is the king." He added while glancing at his brother. Goth only hissed through his teeth.

"Yes. Our father. They were married a few years ago, his mother and my father, so our kingdoms united. But, when the time comes, the title of king is passed down to the next son in line. Which would be me, of course."

"Isn't Niko supposed to become king by right?"

"Shut it, Throbb!" Goth snapped, growing irritated at the discussion of the topic, "I say the law is ridiculous! There's no way that softhearted oaf should be king! Brother or not! He's too gentle for his own good! What our colony needs is a king who isn't afraid to make the hard choices!"

Everyone fell silent at the reaction. The three northerners were too nervous to talk, in fear of irritating the Vampyrum further. For the next hour they just flew. Only when they had started entering slightly more mountainous territory that the fatique was starting to wear on them, especially for Shade. The teenager was panting and lagging behind.

"Let's stop for a little while and rest our wings," Zak stated softly, "We've been flying for at least three hours already. No sign of any owls, so we should be safe."

The group chose to roost on an oak tree, branches big enough to both hang from and stand on, everyone picking their spot to rest. Marina was glancing idly at the two large bats. They had chosen to roost on a different branch just a wing's length in front of them. Throbb huffed and shivered lightly.

"How is it so cold here? My wings feel like they're stinging."

"Winter is coming soon," Zak explained, "There's no snow right now, but once that arrives, it's only going to get colder. That's why we need to find the colony as soon as we can."

"Winter? Huh. So that's what that is. You learn something new everyday." Throbb blew into his hands and rubbed his shoulders to try warming himself up. The Greywing couldn't help but smile at the Vampyrum's reaction. Obviously this was his first time ever feeling the cooler weather. Suddenly he felt the need to lick his lips, noting how dry and chapped they were. His mouth felt dry, as well.

"Hey guys, I'm going to go see if I can find some water," He told his friends, "Want to come with?"

"I'm gonna stay," Shade chirped, "I'm gonna talk with Goth some more." Marina looked conflicted as she looked from Shade and back to Zak.

"I'm, uhhh, I'm going to stay with Shade. I'm not thirsty, so you go on ahead." He knew that she didn't want to leave the smaller bat alone with the two bats. Granted, he didn't like leaving his friends alone with them either. But, thankfully, the nearest pond he saw was only a few wingbeats away. He wouldn't be too far if something were to happen.

"Okay. I won't be long."

The pond was a decent size, like that of an average swimming pool. For his current size, at least. A slight layer of ice had formed over it but it was nothing a small rock couldn't break. Rather then use his hands this time, he chose to lean down until his mouth touched the cold surface to get his drink, taking a few large sips and savoring the refreshing coolness. He even took a small chunk of ice to idly chew on as he looked about the surrounding area.

It was nice. He could hear the wind blowing through the trees, the nocturnal wildlife and the sounds they added to the air. Being out in the wild was beautiful. But then he remembered what General Brutus had said to him back in the city. The closing of the skies. And how the night would not protect the bats any longer. Not until the criminals have been caught.

_'And we're, quite possibly, travelling with the same criminals themselves.'_ Zak thought with a sigh.

Then he said out loud to himself, "What was I thinking, letting them travel with us? They could probably be cannibals, too. They eat meat, so it's possible, right?" He stopped and took a breath to calm himself down. It was too late now. Goth and Throbb had joined their little travel group already. There was nothing he could do to change that. "Maybe I'm just overthinking things. At the very least we can just...send them on their way when we don't need them anymore. Even if that leaves the murder mystery unsolved."

He stood up, sniffing offhandedly, to head back to the rest of the group. But he stopped. His ears stood at attention when he picked up the sound of movement.

And it was close. But he wasn't feeling the danger tingle from before. At least, not as bad as before, but it was still there. Quickly looking around he picked up a stone at his feet and held it firmly, its size perfectly fitting in his palm. He could hear rustling coming from somewhere behind him in the brush. But after a few more seconds of the odd sounds, they stopped.

Zak waited, eyeing the patches of brush, expecting something to make itself known. Whether it emerged slowly...or jumped out at him.

Nothing.

He waited a little more. Still nothing. It seemed to be safe.

"_Hola_-"

The Greywing sharply yelped, turning around faster then he ever thought possible and chucked the stone as hard as he could. It zoomed through the air, just barely missing it's mark by mere inches. That mark being Throbb's face before he ducked out of the way with a yelp of his own.

"Ay'! Sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!" Zak only glared at him as his heart raced from the scare.

"Was that you skulking around in the bushes earlier?!"

"Yes, it was me, I'm so sorry! I was just coming to check up on you!"

The young adult stared at the Vampyrum for a few seconds before finally getting control of his heartbeat. He sighed fitfully.

"Geez, don't ever do that to me again. And I'm old enough to look out for myself, thank you. I was just getting ready to head back." The Greywing made to get ready to fly, but he stopped and looked back at the Vampyrum, "Wait, if you were in the bushes...how long were you watching me for, exactly?" Throbb's face shifted into that of a slightly guilty expression.

"Well...Goth actually sent me here." A look of worry immediately formed on the Greywing's face, glancing in the direction his friends were, "They're okay! Your friend, Shade? He's still talking with Goth. Learning more about our kind. Marina, well, she's not too keen on chatting but I can't blame her. I don't blame you, either, for not trusting us."

Zak's thoughts about the Vamyrum having listened in on him were confirmed. Again, Throbb gestured to him that he meant no harm.

"It wasn't my intention to eavesdrop. I understand why you're distrustful of us. Two strangers, coming out of nowhere and making short work of those owls from before. Please understand, we're only trying to survive. We don't know these lands or these stars. We don't even know anyone here." Throbb sighed, "Look, I'm not asking you to trust us, but please. While Goth might not show it as much as I do, we _really_ need your help here. All I'm asking is that we travel with you for a little while, provide protection when we can and all you need to do is just...point us in the right direction. Then you'll never have to see us again."

As much as Zak felt a little better hearing this, at least, Throbb was more civil and honest, he still couldn't shake one nagging thought. Whether or not the royals had anything to do with the murders in the city. Maybe murder was too much. Perhaps they truly didn't intend to cause any trouble and meat, at least for them, was scarce and the only source was the birds and any possible rats in the area. Goth, though? He almost seemed a little _too_ joyful when it came to the owl he killed.

"Look," The Greywing replied, "I get it, you and Goth are only trying to survive. I do. And what I said before, about those pigeons in the city, I wasn't referring to you guys. Maybe whoever did such a thing is still wandering around, right?"

"But it was us. Wasn't it?" Throbb sighed, now looking more guilty then he did before, "The moment you mentioned it I immediately thought back to...how Goth and I were just looking for food. I swear, we didn't intend for this to happen. We were hungry and those pigeons were the food we could find. We tried to hide them after! But we didn't hide them well enough, it seems. I'm so sorry about that. For everything that's happened because of us."

Zak couldn't help but feel bad for the Vampyrum. For Throbb, at least, though there was a twinge of sympathy for Goth, too. He was right for being cautious of the pair, but he didn't stop to really think about it until now that the both of them were lost. Lost in a region far different then what they were used to. It had to be scary for the both of them. Even with them being adults. And what if there hadn't been any birds or other animals in the city to begin with? They would have likely starved if they hadn't found anything to eat. That, or froze from the steadily dropping temperature.

But then he remembered what Zephyr's prediction had told him. That one of the bats with metal on their wings could be trusted. Trusted enough, as he said. Could Throbb possibly be the one? He sure seemed like it.

"Hey," The Greywing spoke up softly, "Listen, I don't blame you. Okay? Like I said, I understand you and brother were only trying to survive. And while my friends are new with you guys eating meat? I'm good with it. Just as long as you and Goth are only hunting for what you need and not doing it for sport or for fun."

"No, no, of course not!" The chubby Vampyrum quickly interrupted, "Back home our kind only ever hunted for what we needed. And we always thank Zotz for blessing us with our meal, especially after a successful hunt."

"Zotz? Who's that?" Zak's ears twitched curiously. He only heard and knew of Nocturna but never any other gods or goddesses, if there were others. Throbb didn't seem bothered by the question, rather he looked pleased to teach something to someone new. And he looked relieved that the Greywing held no ill feelings towards him.

"Cama Zotz is his full name. Our kind just call him Zotz for short. If you don't mind, perhaps I can tell you more about him? It's the least I can do after...well. You know."

As much as Zak wanted to hear more about the Vampyrum's god, he thought back to Goth, Shade and Marina being alone. And he had been gone for a little while already.

"Thanks, Throbb, but maybe another time? We should probably head back to the others and keep on with our travels." The young adult quickly pointed to the pond, "I opened up a spot there if you need a drink. And, hey, Throbb? We're good. Okay?" He said with a light smile at the adult before taking off.

Throbb just gave a small smile and went to take a quick sip of the cool water before following after the young adult.

Meanwhile, Goth had been telling Shade and Marina about the humans. Specifically, the ones that had captured him and Throbb, the various experiments done to him while his brother was left alone, and the receiving of their bands. It was only after explaining how he and his brother escaped did the red haired Vampyrum turn to the female, eyeing her silver band.

"It seems Throbb and I were not the only ones to have been taken prisoner. Tell me, little _senorita, _how did you manage to escape from the awful Humans in the first place?" He asked her curiously, briefly glancing at Throbb and Zak after they had landed.

"I didn't escape," The Brightwing murmured, "They let me go right after they gave me my band."

"Really? Well, I must consider you very lucky that they let you go at all. But, if you don't mind my asking, why aren't you with your colony? Seems a bit odd to be in the company of your _amigos_, who are very clearly different bats." Marina went quiet, but she took a breath.

"My colony believed the bands are cursed. As soon as they saw me with this? They banished me out of fear. And only last night me and my friends learned that even other colonies are afraid of them. Well, at least not Shade's colony, considering that their elder and some of the males have bands of their own."

Goth snorted with a bitter grin, "Hmph. Those who fear the bands have a right to be frightened. These things are only a mark that we were once prisoners of those Humans. They're all evil. Every single one of them!" He growled, tugging at his band and even trying to twist it to see if it would come off. But still, it remained fastened to his wrist.

"Not all Humans are bad."

Goth stopped pulling at his wrist, turning towards the young adult who was looking at him.

"And what makes you say that, _hombre joven*_?"

"Well, first off, I left my own colony to be out on my own due to...personal reasons. I got injured and I was found by some Humans who took me to an animal shelter." When both Goth and Throbb looked at him with confusion, he elaborated, "An animal shelter is where the Humans take sick or injured animals to be treated until they're well enough to be released back into the wild. Each animal is kept in their own spaces to heal in peace. That's where I stayed for a few days before I was released."

Goth only looked at Zak as he explained what exactly this 'shelter' was. But now that he told them that he had been around the Humans himself, things started making sense. That was why he smelled so much like a Human. He had time to absorb their scent, it seemed. Though Goth hated it because it reminded him of the Humans back in the fake jungle. But he put it in the back of his mind for not only his sake but the trios sake as well.

"Very interesting indeed," He crooned, "But allow me to say that it is strange they did not give you a band during your stay."

"Not really bands but they did give some of us bats things called rubber bands. They just slid over our thumbs easy and the Humans used them to help figure out who was who in the bat enclosure. That's just what my first few friends told me after I first woke up there. My rubber band was removed on the night they released me."

Goth only seemed more curious and confused at these new things. Whatever these 'rubber' bands were, they sounded far more pleasant then the metal vices he and Throbb currently wore.

"Huh. You will have to tell us more at a later time, _amigo_, but please; tell us more about yourselves and your northern laws." He asked, looking from the Greywing and then to the two pups.

"Well, we Silverwings live the way we want, too!" Shade stated proudly, though hesitantly, "Well, aside from the law forbidding us from seeing the sun. But I did it anyway! Even if...the...owls didn't like it very much." The guilty yet sheepish look on his face spoke volumes to Goth.

"Didn't like it? Are you kidding? They burned down your roost for that." The Brightwing reminded with a stern expression. Then Zak quietly muttered under his breath.

_"Did you already forget you roped me into seeing it with you?"_

Shade's ears twitched, "What?"

"What? Nothing. I didn't say anything."

Goth hummed thoughtfully at the information. The owls were the law here, it seemed. Though that raised a new question on why Shade's colony had allowed this to happen. He asked why the males in his colony didn't protect their home. The young Silverwing then explained that during the time when the females raised the newborns the males would stay at their own roost, a large cavernous roost called Stonehold. From there, he further shared his distaste for the owls and the treaty. Elaborating, Shade told him the treaty was made as a means of peace between the birds and the beasts. But it was also a punishment for the bats. And for what? All because they didn't want anything to do with the war and didn't choose a side to fight with. As a result they were banished to fly only at night and were forbidden from flying in the sun. That was until only a few nights ago when Shade decided to break the law.

The Vampyrum prince was impressed. Very much so, truthfully. Such a small and young bat going the against the law of the owls? He had some promise. With a smile, Goth began to think of the perfect way to win over Shade's trust. The first of the trio.

"You know, I might be able to help you with this owl problem of yours." The Silverwing looked at him with an interested gaze, "When Throbb and I get back to the south, I could bring an army of my species right back here. Make quick work of this unfair treatment the owls have given you and the rest of your northern kind. And you, Shade, you really have impressed me with your story. What do you think of becoming my...commander-in-chief? I have a feeling that you, my young boy, have the makings of an excellent warrior. I'm sure your father would be very proud of you." At that, Shade let a wide and excited smile form on his face. Never before had he heard such praise from anyone before. But then it had suddenly began to falter and fade away.

"I...um...my father isn't around," He said softly, looking away from the Vampyrum, "His name was Cassiel. My mother told me he went scouting one night and...a-and he never came back. She and everyone else think that...the owls got him."

Goth could immediately sense what the Silverwing was feeling. But a slight twinge of sympathy went through him as well. He hated the feeling, but he kept the emotion back as he briefly flapped his wings until he was next to Shade. He put a large but gentle claw into his shoulder, the Silverwing not pulling away but leaning into the touch like it was comforting. A boy without his father. He and Shade did share even more common ground then he realized. Goth still had his father. But someone else he never really knew, either.

Throbb looked on from his perch. Giving a slight frown from how his brother seemed to be taking advantage of Shade's past to try and sway him to his side. Glancing over to Zak and Marina, he was relieved to see that the two of them seemed to share in his feelings.

Both were looking at Goth with only one clear emotion. Suspicion.

They were back on the move again and keeping low in the trees to avoid detection from any owls that could be around. Although, the weather wasn't very favorable. Only twenty minutes into their flight it had started to rain. Thankfully it wasn't a downpour or a storm like Shade and the Greywing had encountered before Marina's island.

Still, Zak absolutely hated getting soaked now that he had more hair then he did before.

Shade and Marina were flying ahead of him while he had hung back to chat with Throbb, wanting to learn more about their god, Cama Zotz. He sounded evil at first but the Vampyrum reassured him that he wasn't that sort of god.

"In our culture and religion, Zotz is not only the brother to the goddess Nocturna, but he's the creator and ruler of the Underworld. A place where all animals go, not just bats, when their time has passed in the world of the living. There are many stories regarding the kind of god he is, but ones our elders always told us about revere him as kind and caring. He doesn't just watch over the Underworld as a whole, but he guides and helps those who have passed on so that they can find their peace in the afterlife." Goth rudely snorted out loud, almost as if he was scoffing at Throbb's story about their god. But the chubby Vampyrum chose to ignore him and kept going, "It's said he creates different oasis', places where the spirit can enjoy a life of peace and somewhat similar to their previous lives. But, of course, it wouldn't be the Underworld if he didn't have places for those who did wrong before their passing."

"Wrong?" Zak asked curiously, "Like...murder?"

"Anything that may have harmed the life of an innocent," Throbb nodded sagely, "Zotz watches over those who have been nothing but good and kind at heart. But for those who have harmed or taken the life of an innocent being, whether it was one or more, those souls are sentenced to their own eternal prison. Forever to experience the pain they inflicted on others." The Vampyrum's expression and voice went dark for a moment.

The Greywing went quiet as he imagined just how horrifying that must be. Sure, the soul was evil, but being banished to eternal damnation? Talk about getting what they deserved.

"Well, at least that's what the elders told us," Throbb went back to speaking normally, as if the entire thing was just an act, "But the main thing is, Zotz is who we pray to and thank for whenever we hunt. See, since we are meat eaters, we make sure that whatever bird or small animal we eat we say a prayer to them. Just so that after they've gone to the Underworld, they know they've done a good thing with helping to sustain ourselves. So...those pigeons back in the city? We made sure they died quick, but also we made sure to thank them for giving us the strength to keep going." He said softly.

"_You_ might have thanked them, Throbb, but me? I just eat. I don't need to say a prayer to Zotz, especially to a god who's too kind for his own good." Goth cut in bitterly, his tone of voice surprising Zak as he kept his eyes straight ahead. "But, I'll give him one thing. He has made us rather perfect in his image. Well, almost all of us." Throbb frowned, knowing he was referring to the fact that he himself wasn't exactly of a taller and stronger build then his brother was.

"But Goth, it's the right thing to do, especially since a life is giving itself to us so we can sustain ourselves. It's what Zotz would want of us, wouldn't he?"

"How could you possibly know what he would want?" Goth shot back, now looking visibly more agitated, "You're only an Omega! You don't know Zotz like the way my colony does!"

Whether it was just his own nerves or due to the rain that was getting him like this, Zak didn't know. But all he knew was that both Vampyrum were now bickering back and forth, Throbb more calm and levelled while his brother was, well, getting quite pissed. He decided that it was time to leave the two alone. The Greywing moved ahead to Shade and Marina, trying to ignore the argument going on just behind him as more personal things were being said now. He only caught one last bit, something about how the red haired Vampyrum used to be nice, Throbb had said before their voices were drowned out from the sound of the rainfall.

Whatever it was about, Zak just shrugged it off as he neared his friends. This time he could catch a bit of their own conversation.

"I don't know, Shade, something just...doesn't feel right travelling with a couple of meat eaters." Marina said fretfully.

"Well, we eat bugs. That probably grosses them out a lot more. If we have Goth and Throbb with us they can protect not just us, but my whole colony from the owls. At least we'll be safe with them around."

"That's hardly the same thing. But seriously, Shade, something doesn't feel right with the two of them." The Brightwing frowned, not feeling good that one of her friends was still enamored by the giant pair of bats, "Zak, back me up here. Doesn't it bother you that these guys eat meat?"

"While I don't really appreciate being dragged into an argument, I honestly have to say that it doesn't bother me in the slightest." Both teens looked at him with brows fully raised, "First, remember what Zephyr told us before we left? About us meeting bats with metal on their wings? That's these two for sure. But he did say that one of them can be trusted enough. Throbb's the one we can trust, I'm sure of it."

"And what makes you so sure?" Marina questioned, "You're not gonna act like Shade and suddenly become a fanboy of these guys, are you?"

"No, Marina, just listen. Throbb genuinely seems like a nice guy. When we first stopped he came to me and apologized for the trouble he and his brother caused with the skies being closed. And he said that they only ate those pigeons to survive and keep up their strength. Granted, the owls were a bit much but they did save us. I think we can trust him, for sure. But Goth? I don't know. Something's off with him."

"_Thank you_! I'm glad at least someone agrees with me on that." The Brightwing said pointedly while glancing at Shade, "But I will say I'm glad Throbb isn't going to be a problem."

"Oh come on, Marina, give it a rest, will you?" Shade groaned, "I'm glad you guys like Throbb but he's so...I don't know. Sure it's cool he took out an owl but Goth looks like he could fight off a lot of them by himself!"

"Why's that? Because he's not as muscular and strong looking? Having a big body doesn't make someone look cool? You know I'm kind of on the chubby side, too, Shade." Zak replied, giving a slightly offended look.

"But you're different!" Shade recoiled, though it only made the Greywing shrug and shake his head, while Marina rolled her eyes. "I mean-,...not that there's-,...what I'm trying to say is-,..." He stumbled, trying to find a better and nicer way to word his previous statement.

"I know what you meant, Shade. It's fine." Zak sighed, quickly glancing up at the sky as the rainfall finally began to fade, "Looks like the rain's passing now. At least we can get dry while we fly. Heh, hey, that rhymed! Dry while we fly!"

The Greywing gave an amused chuckle, the little moment helping to brighten the mood between the three friends.

They had flown for another half hour before the hunger pangs started. Before they could make their stop, Marina pointed out that they were possibly close to the southern valley as Zephyr had told them. Where he had heard Shade's colony had been heading into. The group had flown up higher to take a better look, and sure enough, a massive and beautiful scenery greeted them all.

They were definitely in the valley. Huge mountains enclosed an even bigger field of trees and small lakes, a clearing going on for what seemed like miles. With the moon shining brightly down onto the land it was truly amazing. But Zak realized something else.

"This valley is way bigger then I thought it would be." He muttered in surprise and minor fatigue. Marina only nodding at him before she responded in kind.

"How are we ever going to find your colony, Shade? They must be further ahead of us by now. What are we supposed to be looking for next?"

"Perhaps, dear Shade," Goth suddenly purred from beside the female, "If you called up your sound map we can get a better idea on where to go next."

Both Marina and Zak immediately got the strongest feeling that something wasn't right with that request. Even more so for the Greywing as the constant tingle in his neck very briefly intensified.

"Shade, just take a look at where we need to go, you don't have to say what it-," He quickly tried to warn the teen, but already he was concentrating to bring up the map. The Greywing dearly hoped that the Silverwing had heard him.

Unfortunately, he didn't. Shade called out the past locations they had visited before having met Goth and Throbb. The lighthouse. The countryside. Even the city and the cathedral. Then, he described seeing strange metal towers with fire moving through them, as well as two larger towers that the fire converged on.

He was describing a power station.

Shade finally let go of his concentration, nearly falling out of the air from the mental strain before catching himself. Goth, meanwhile, only smiled proudly at the Silverwing.

"That's enough to work with, Shade. You did splendid. Now we know where we need to stop next." Throbb, unlike Goth, seemed genuinely relieved and happy to know the next location of their journey.

"Thank Zotz and Nocturna for your sound map, young one. All we need to do now is look for these other towers of fire and we should find the main point of focus in your map." The chubby male's ears then suddenly perked up. He turned his nose to the air and began to sniff actively. The red haired Vampyrum followed suit, the top of his muzzle scrunching up with every sniff. He turned to the trio and flashed them a grin.

"Please excuse us, _mi amigos_, I do believe it is time for lunch for us all. Throbb and I are going to find our meals before they scamper off. And please, do not worry, we'll make sure that these animals won't be...missed by anyone." While he possibly meant to say that in a more gentle fashion, the way he smiled and the look in his eyes unsettled the three bats. Maybe less so for Shade. Throbb responded that they wouldn't be long and they would meet up with them after they all had their respective meals.

The two Vampyrum dove back down to the forest to track their prey, leaving the three northerners alone, and giving them the privacy for the two older bats to look at Shade.

Both of them with hard glares.

"Shade, were you even listening to me at all?" Zak hissed, "Now Goth knows where the colony could be going next!"

"How could you just blurt out your sound map like that?! And to two complete strangers, no less!" Marina hissed in addition. The Silverwing looked surprised from their reactions, but then his own face hardened as he scowled right back at them.

"You know what, guys? I think the two of you have been by yourselves for so long that you don't know how to trust a friend."

"Hey! This isn't just about trusting you, Shade, this is about trusting Marina and I in return. Throbb? We can trust. But Goth? Something about him doesn't feel right with him. I think you might've hit your head at some point, because you can't tell when someone's hiding something or not." The Greywing huffed.

"And can you be so sure we can trust Throbb, Zak? Huh? He's probably just like Goth. Hiding something but being so much better at it." Marina glowered at her friend.

"Because, as far as I've seen, he's not acting like a creep and he hasn't done anything to try and harm us! Marina, remember what Zephyr told us?"

"Yeah, I know what he said, but how can we be sure it's Throbb we can trust?"

"Because-!" Zak was about to reply, but he stopped himself and shook his head with a growl, "Look. Clearly, we're all just hungry. Why don't we eat, yeah? I'm sure after we have full stomachs, we'll all be in a better mood." Shade only glared at the two and huffed.

"Hmph. Fine." He muttered, then added under his breath.

"Who are _you_ to talk about trust?"

The young adult looked at the Silverwing as he flew past him. That comment wasn't missed. What did he mean by that? He looked back at Marina who only shrugged. But there was an expression that told him she knew something more. But chose not to say.

He sighed. Whatever it was about, it could wait. For now, they needed to find food and build up their strength for the flight ahead. Hopefully there was still some bugs flying around.

Throbb gazed down at the lifeless body of his catch. A lone Blue Jay that had been flying through the area before he caught it. He made sure that it's death was quick and as painless as possible. The poor thing didn't have to suffer just to be his meal. A meal that would keep him going until he the next prey he would find. It was a decent size. But not nearly enough to provide a filling meal. It would last him for half an hour at the most. Maybe even less.

He clasped his hands together and closed his eyes.

"_Estimado Zotz, gracias por esta recompensa. Por favor, guía este espíritu a la paz y dales mi eterna gratitud por regalarme fortaleza y vida**._" Throbb quickly prayed in his native language, opening his eyes again as he began to clear away the feathers from where he was going to bite down. Ever since he was a child, his mother always taught him to be thankful for every successful hunt and to not only thank Zotz but also the animal that's giving it's life to keep him alive. He took her advice to heart and made sure to pray every time he made a successful kill. But also, that the animal in question would not suffer, he made sure to make it quick.  
He bit into the soft flesh of the bird, his sharp teeth very easily digging in and taking chunks of the tender meat, chewing quickly but carefully so that he'd have time to hide the carcass afterward. As he ate, his mind wandered back to the moment when Shade brought up his sound map.

The Greywing's sudden and hushed response was enough to tell him one thing. Not only him, but Marina too, were still wary of both he and his brother. He didn't blame them and he held no ill feeling towards them. They were still total strangers to the trio. Shade seemed trusting, but even Throbb was concerned for the boy's safety. He was _too _trusting, especially to his brother. The shorter Vampyrum couldn't stop thinking about how Goth had said that he wanted the both of them to stay on the younger group's good side. He wasn't really thinking of resorting to...eating them when they were far enough in their journey. Was he?

He was almost thinking about cutting and running. Go to Zak, Marina and Shade, tell them only the four of them would travel together. But, still, he didn't feel right abandoning Goth out in unfamiliar territory. Even if his behavior was bordering on unsettling and just plain wrong. But he had made a promise to someone to always be there for him, even with how he drastically changed through the years since they were children. Someone he was starting to miss ever since they were first captured. Wondering just how worried the other Vampyrum was.

_'Niko, _hermano mayor***_. We'll be coming back home to you soon.'_ He thought to himself with a soft smile.

Throbb sighed as he finished the last bite of the Blue Jay, wiping his mouth clean of the blood before he got to work on covering up the carcass, making sure he hadn't made a mess while eating before doing so. Because of his species size and metabolism, he needed to eat a lot more in order to be properly full. Once he was satisfied that it wouldn't be discovered, he began to look for the group. It had taken him a few minutes before he finally found them. Goth was busy chatting them up yet again.

"Remind me again, Marina, why do you suppose the bands mean something good? Didn't I already share that they mark us as mere prisoners of the Humans? Regardless if they actually released you or not?" He asked indifferently, scrubbing the surface of his band with the palm of his free hand in an effort clean it. Surprisingly.

"Well, I mean...I don't really know much about it. Except that there's something called the Promise. Like the bands are somehow meant to help us in the future. But how? I'm not sure. But it's got to mean something special, right? Like the Humans will probably help us." The Brightwing said softly, hoping that the Vampyrum understood her. But instead, she was met with a soft but mocking huff of a laugh. An amused grin spreading on Goth's face.

"Something _special_. Well, isn't that funny?" He glanced at her with a disinterested and cruel smile. The Brightwing gave a wounded look while Goth continued, "Face it, _senorita_, it's foolish to think that the Humans themselves will actually help us. What have they done to help? They steal our land. They destroy forests and even take the trees. And for what? So they can make more of their of their infernal homes, their labs and their fake jungles, all so they can keep kidnapping our kind and keeping them prisoners so they can steal the secrets of our night vision. So tell me, Marina, do you truly think we will be helped by Humans?" He was looking at her hard now. Testing if she truly believed her own words. Throbb could only watch the scene before him.

The poor Brightwing didn't speak as she looked from Goth and then to Shade, as if hoping that he would say something to support her. Zak, all the while, seemed very conflicted and bothered by what his brother had said, choosing to look off elsewhere with a frown.

But the Silverwing remained quiet and only looked at her with a confused and unsure gaze. Then he shrugged and gave what had to be the worse answer anyone could give.

"M-Maybe he's right, Marina. All the Humans have done is, well, ruin everything."

She was visibly stung by the answer, blinking several times before her face tightened. She only turned around and took off in the opposite direction. The Greywing immediately followed after her, calling out her name as he left them in a rather...uncomfortable silence. Shade only gave a shaky grin, which faded immediately before following after his friends. No doubt to try and talk to Marina. At least, that's what Throbb hoped he was doing. Ever since he changed, Goth had an uncanny ability to charm someone into following along with his whatever he had planned. But it didn't work as well on the purple haired prince.

Speaking of, Goth gave a low growl of annoyance.

"That Brightwing girl is starting to get on my nerves." Throbb stammered briefly as he tried to think of something to say that wouldn't annoy him any further.

"G-Goth, I don't think that was necessary. She's young, if she believes the bands could help us, then just let her-," He gasped when his brother sharply turned back to him.

"Young or not, she needs to hear the truth! Even if it hurts! She'll get over it. You'll see." The sound of fast wingbeats caught the pair's ears, spotting a couple of small birds fluttering a short distance away. Figuring this was his chance to get a little more food, Throbb made to start flying for one of them, only to be blocked by Goth's wing as he grinned at him, "Maybe _I_ should take these two. You've had enough until we stop again, _ci_?"

Without even waiting for a response, the taller bat dismounted from the branch he had been hanging from and pursued the tiny prey. Leaving Throbb standing by himself.

He winced as his stomach gurgled at him, the small amount of meat he had consumed wasn't enough. His hands clutched at his potbelly as he started to wonder what he was supposed to eat. Prey was scarce in these forests.

He frowned as he knelt down on the branch, trying to ignore the hurtful comment directed at him and his weight.

_'I'll figure something out. I always do. Just...I just need to be patient and look around. Zotz, please, don't let me starve.'_

Feeling confident that the young ones would return, he jumped off the branch to look for something else to eat. Whatever he could find that was edible.

"Marina!" Zak called out to his friend as he tried to catch up with her, "Marina, wait up! Please, can't we just slow down and talk for a second?"

Seemingly ignoring him for a moment, the Brightwing finally decided to perch on a birch tree. A bitter look on her face as the Greywing landed near her, Shade coming up only a second after. Beating the young adult to the first word, crossing his arms as he huffed at the female.

"What's your problem, Marina? Goth was only trying to tell you the truth!"

"_My_ problem?" She raised her voice at him, eyes wide and brow tightly furrowed in anger, "What's _your_ problem, Shade? Everything that comes out of Goth's mouth you just go on ahead and agree with! Ever since we first met them you've been doing nothing but following him around like he's someone to worship! He's not as nice as you think he is!"

"Why are you getting mad at me? You're just mad because he says your band doesn't mean that you're special! And for all we know, maybe they really aren't that special!"

"No, you do **not** get to say that you know what the bands mean! You don't even have one! So what would _you_ know?" Marina seethed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Those words stung Shade. He stumbled over his words as the Greywing tried to calm them down.

"Guys, wait, let's just take a breather and calm down for-"

"No," Marina cut him off sharply, glaring at Shade angrily all the while, "You listen here, Shade. You don't know what it was like for me when I got my band. To me, it felt special. And it still does, so it has to mean something! I'm not giving up on that! And even if it's true that there's nothing special about them, then why should I even bother coming with you guys to find the Silverwings and meet Frieda?"

Shade only glared right back at her, "Beats me! Why _should_ you bother? You've been acting negative ever since we met Goth and Throbb! Why can't you see that they can protect us? We need them!"

"_We_ need them? Or do _you_ need them?" She narrowed her eyes dangerously, moving closer towards the Silverwing as he did the same to her, "Does your size really bother you that much that you need Goth to feel big and tough? Maybe that's why you just love to hang around him so much!" Her tone had a dangerous edge to it as she said her next words, knowing fully well that they would wound him badly, "Because he's something that you're not!"

She felt a rush of satisfaction when Shade's eyes went wide after flinching from the sharp insult.

"Marina! That's uncalled for, there's no need to-!" Zak tried to interject but was cut off again, this time by a snarling Shade as he stepped even closer towards Marina.

"Oh yeah? Well if that's the way you feel, then why don't you go back to that stupid island of yours? The sooner you leave, the better! Because we don't need you! Just like how your colony never needed you!"

**"Shade, that's enough!"**

Zak nearly yelled, but the volume and tone of his voice was enough to snap Shade out of his anger. As if realizing what he said, his eyes grew wide and his ears tilted back. It was clear that he didn't intend to say what he did, even though he didn't know what to say in apology.

Marina was shocked by the words used against her, staring at the Silverwing as her eyes started growing wet. She bit her lip hard as she turned on her heel and began to step away from the two males. Her voice was short and restrained.

"Fine. I'm leaving." She only made it a few steps before someone grabbed her banded wrist, holding on firmly enough not to hurt her but to keep her from leaving, "Let go of me."

"Marina, wait. Listen to me for a sec'." Zak pleaded softly, keeping his voice level while Shade looked on anxiously

"I said let _go_." She pulled against his grip, gaze locked down onto the bark beneath her feet.

"No, I won't. Please, Marina, think about what you're doing."

"Let go of me, Zak!"

"It's dangerous out here. If you go back on your own, you'll be killed!"

"I don't care, now let me go!" She was now grabbing at the Greywing's hand in an effort to free herself, her anger starting to boil over.

"Marina, stop! Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to do us any good! Would you just stop for one second and listen to me-!"

**"I said let go!"**

She suddenly drew her free arm back and swung it right at Zak's face. And it connected with his left cheek with a harsh slap.

The Greywing barely made a noise as he let go of the Brightwing, both his hands shooting up to cover up where she had hit him.

In an instant the anger from the Brightwing was suddenly gone. As if it had been snuffed out like a fire.

Zak had dropped down on one knee, eyes shut tightly as his cheek burned. A lot more then a slap should have normally left. Taking short breaths of air he slowly brought his hands down to look at them. And the female nearly gasped when he did so.

A cut had been left on his cheek. A cut that her claw had made when she hit him. It was red but it didn't bleed. Zak lightly touched it, wincing when he pressed a little too hard on the cut itself. He pulled his finger back as if to make sure it wasn't bleeding.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, the tears beginning to fall from her still wide eyes, "I'm sorry! I-...I-I-I didn't mean to-" Zak only held up a hand. Signalling for her to stop. He needed a moment before he started speaking.

"Marina. I just need you to listen. Please. I understand that this is a difficult time for you. For all of us. But you _have_ to listen to me. Both of you." He looked from Marina and to Shade, slowly getting back up onto his feet, "I understand the two of you are angry. And for different and valid reasons. I get it. But fighting like this isn't going to get us anywhere. Look what it's doing to you two already. You were on the verge of turning against each other. And for what? Because you two share different opinions? Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, but don't let it turn into a fight."

Both the Silverwing and Brightwing looked at each other, then looking away with shame on both their faces.

"Please, think about this. What are you going to do once you're on your own? If you really want to go back to the island? You'll still be in danger. What happens if you get caught by the pigeons or the owls if you try to go through the city again? They will kill you if they get that chance. And they're looking for all three of us together." He gestured to Marina, himself and Shade, "What if they catch you without Shade and I there? If they don't kill you, they will torture you to try and find us. And what if you don't know where we're going? I don't want that to happen to you."

The Brightwing wiped her eyes clean of the tears, finally finding the courage to look at her friend as he invited Shade to come closer to them. The Silverwing looked just as guilty as he avoided Marina's gaze, but found himself glancing back to her every few seconds.

"I'm not asking you to trust Goth and Throbb. But I am asking you to trust me. As your friend." He held out his hand with his palm open and facing skyward, perfectly between himself and his two friends, "Now, like it or not, the three of us are stuck together. We are all we have in this dangerous world. The only way we're going to get to the Silverwings and find Hibernaculum is together. Then, and only then, will we be safe. I know you two shared some very...hurtful things to each other. But did either of you mean what you said? Did you really mean to hurt the other?" Zak paused while he looked from Marina and then to Shade. Both bats looked directly into each others eyes. Hurt and conflicted frowns on their faces as they each sighed in their own way.

"No. I...I-I didn't mean what I said, Marina." He said with a shiver in his voice.

"I didn't-," She sniffed for a second, "I didn't mean it either, Shade. I'm sorry." She was met with a soft tearful nod in response.

"I'm sorry, too."

Having apologized to one another, both bats brought a hand up and rested it into Zak's. First Marina, then Shade on top of hers. The Greywing gently closed his fingers around them and encased them with his other hand. His touch was warm and comforting. "Nobody said this was going to be easy on any of us. Being angry can make us say and do things that we don't intend to. Whether that's using words to try and hurt the other. Or even getting physical." He looked from the Silverwing and then to the Brightwing respectively.

"Zak, I'm so sorry, I didn't-" Marina again tried to apologize, feeling terrible for having even done such a thing to someone who had been nothing but kind to her. But, again, the young adult just shook his head and looked at her with a gentle gaze.

"It's okay, Marina. There's nothing to be sorry for. I know you didn't mean to." He looked down at their joined hands, "Now, I don't think I have to tell you guys just how important it is that we stick together. We may have our differences, sure, but we need to help each other out. I can barely use the sound map without it affecting me negatively. And Shade, you are the only one we can rely on to tell us where we need to go. All I ask is that we put this argument behind us and keep going with the journey. Does that sound good to you guys?"

There was a moment of silence, but the Greywing patiently waited for their responses. Both teens finally nodded. Then they both placed their free hands over top of Zak's, as a sign that they understood. That they knew how important it was that, as friends, they needed to have each other's backs.

"Yeah," Shade softly uttered, giving a little smile, "I understand."

"Crystal clear on that, big guy." Marina chuckled, sniffling one final time before giving a little grin of her own. The Greywing smiled in return.

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other. Now, we should head back before Goth and Throbb think that we've gone and ditched them." He said with a minor chuckle as he took off from the branch and back in the direction they came from. But as he flew, he couldn't help but notice that the two teenagers still had a conflicted look on their faces. Was it from their spoken words from before they were still thinking about? Possibly. He did notice, however, how they reacted when he had asked them to trust him.

There had been a moment of hesitation. Maybe he was looking too much into it, but he couldn't help but wonder if there was something they weren't telling him. His cover story of being a runaway Greywing was still working. As far as he knew.

Unless...they had figured him out. But they would have told him if they knew of his true origins, wouldn't they?

At least, he hoped so. As worrying as the thought was he shook it from his mind. Right now he just needed to focus on the task ahead of him.

The trio managed to find the spot where they had last left the two carnivores. But there was no sign of them. Zak hummed thoughtfully as he looked around.

"Well, since it seems they're off hunting we might as well do the same. We can meet back here after we're done."

"Okay, but, how will we know where to meet up?" Shade asked curiously. The young adult took another look around, spotting a small creek a few wingbeats away from them. There was a large rock set on the opposite side of it and a broken tree stump right next to it. He pointed it out to the two smaller bats.

"Creek with a rock and tree stump. And, umm, look for this tree with this mark on it." The Greywing used his claw to start etching the shape of an X into the bark, "That way if any of us make it back here first we'll know that this is the meetup spot. But let's try not to stray too far from this area. I don't want any of us getting lost."

Marina nodded, "Okay, sounds good. I'll see you guys shortly." The female then took off past over the creek. Zak turned to Shade and nodded in turn.

"Be careful where you hunt. And stay low in the trees. I won't be long." He followed along the small river. Leaving the Silverwing to ponder where he would choose to hunt. Marina had already taken the area to the southeast and Zak was going for the west. So that left him to go northwest, north or even northeast. He decided to pick a direction at random and went with it.

He hoped that he would find something good.

_'__Zotz, that was disgusting. How do the northern bats even stand the taste of bugs?'_ Throbbed grimaced, nearly gagging yet again as the bitter and foreign taste of the tiger mouth lingered on his tongue. He had been hunting for the last few minutes and he had found nothing. Not even any berries could be found anywhere in the area!  
If there was no meat, fruits were another option for his species to have. Combined with meat, however, it was the perfect diet. But he could not find any in the forest. Only moments ago he had decided to try and see if the bugs were any good. He regretted that decision the moment the moth's innards coated his tongue. It took almost every inch of his willpower not to throw up right then and there, fighting against his gag reflex to try and finish the moth and swallow it. He just didn't want to spit it out and waste it.

Throbb groaned as his stomach growled at him angrily, and quite loudly, begging for something to fill it. At this rate, he was going to start losing his strength and energy. And his hunger did not help him with getting used to the cold temperatures. His fur still had some dampness from the bout of rain earlier, and it was not doing him any favors. He didn't just need food for energy. He needed it to be warm.

Then he heard something in the brush. Not movement. But a voice. He focused his attention in the direction it came from. Keeping his ears on alert. Though his nose did pick up a scent.

The most prominent was the coppery scent of blood in the air. Did Goth get a kill and left it in the open? He sniffed, trying to get a better idea on what he was walking into. He moved slowly, moving aside the blades of drying grass and foliage, the scent was getting stronger. But the the smell he was looking for was finally decipherable.

It was bat's fur. A pained whimper came from behind one last bit of brush. Throbb carefully moved the grass aside and found the source of the noise.

It was a bright furred bat was laying on their back. Almost like Marina's fur. A Brightwing. They were gasping, like the air was being forced out of them. They sounded like they were on the verge of sobbing. Or maybe they had done so already, their eyes were bloodshot. The reason why was clear to the Vampyrum. They were injured. Very badly. There were numerous tears in the bat's wings, bloodied scars covering their body. And their arm, except one, and both legs looked like they had been broken. No. Snapped. They couldn't even move, not without causing themselves great pain. It had taken Throbb a moment to shake himself from the shock of the discovery, before he realized that the bat had turned towards him.

They didn't say anything for a second. Not until the Vampyrum shushed them softly and showed that he wasn't there to cause him anymore harm.

"It's okay. It's okay." He softly hushed them. The bat only shakily lifted their good arm up towards Throbb, who took it gently in his own large hands, "Who did this to you?"

The Brightwing only gasped, closing their eyes as fresh tears ran down the sides of their head, quiet sobs racking their body before they were able to speak.

"O-Ow-...Owls." They shuddered, a deep but vulnerable voice revealed that he was a male, "Owls. They-They attacked...m-m-my colony. Killed...k-killed every...everyone. M-M-Males. F-Females. C-Ch-Chil-Children."

Throbb inhaled sharply. Owls did this to them? Even to the pups? He briefly glanced up and looked around. Was the bat's family somewhere close by? Or...what was left of them? But before he could even wonder further a familiar noise ripped through the air. And a feeling in the very pit of his stomach that almost felt painful.

He winced as his stomach gurgled irritably, begging for food, the Vampyrum unknowingly bared his teeth to the Brightwing. He felt ashamed that his hunger had to make itself known at such a moment. But the smaller male only looked at Throbb with an unreadable expression. Only then to whisper at him.

"Y-You...are a...meat eater." Instead of showing fear, the small male strained at they turned their head up a little higher, exposing his neck to the open air, "Please. Do...it." Throbb's gaze widened in alarm.

"What? I-! I don't think I can-"

"Please," The bat wheezed, "I-It-It hurts. St-Stop the pain. P-Please. I want...want to see m-my...family again."

Throbb stared at the injured male before him, still holding his hand to give him even smallest sliver of comfort. But he was clearly suffering. No animal should have to go through agony by themselves. Let alone having to suffer it for however long they had left. But the Vampyrum was even more conflicted by the request he was given. The bat wanted to die. And he knew that his body would give him the energy he needed.

But he didn't want to eat another bat. He just couldn't. He ate mice, lizards, small birds and even fruits. But never bat meat. He understood that some of his kind preferred to eat it, and he didn't want to judge them. But he could never do it.

And yet, here he was. A dying bat was asking, no, begging to be set free.

There was no other choice to turn to, except to grant the bat his wish. But the chubby male only did so with a heavy heart.

"Okay," He nodded, keeping one hand holding the Brightwing's as he used the other to support himself as he leaned over him, "Okay. No more pain. I promise." He shut his eyes tightly as he opened his mouth, leaning down further until he could feel the soft fur touching his canines and lightly tickling the corners of his lips. He slowly closed his jaws until his teeth were further touching the bat's flesh.

"T-Thank...you." The Brightwing wheezed for the final time.

Throbb bit down quickly. Just as fast he sharply twisted his head until he heard the loud and familiar muffled crack. The smaller adult's hand went rigid for a split second, before going limp. He waited.

No more sound. No more movement. It had been done.

Throbb released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Panting softly as he released the deceased bat's neck from his jaws. Their head was turned away from him. That was a bit of a relief. But only a little. The Vampyrum looked down at the body before him. Yet again, his stomach demanded him to eat so it would have energy. He hated that this was his only choice for a meal. But he couldn't deny that, in the end, at least he would have the energy to keep flying. And to be warm in the weather.

He quickly uttered the familiar prayer to the Brightwing's body. Pleading to Zotz to reunite his spirit with his family and colony.

Taking one last look at the corpse, Throbb took a deep breath.

Closing his eyes he opened his mouth again. Jaws taking hold of the tender flesh of the bat's neck. He blocked all his other senses, only so that he wouldn't be completely aware of what he was about to do.

_'Please...forgive me for what I have to do. I'm only doing this to survive.'_

Shade had caught a few good sized beetles for the past few minutes. No moths around, but at least it was something. He still hadn't found any sign of Goth or Throbb anywhere. But he wasn't eager to find them. At least, not Goth. He thought back to how the giant bat had comforted him when he told him about his deceased father. And how he had told him about making him a commander for his army. Now that he was thinking properly, the Silverwing realized how strange it was that the Vampyrum had pulled him in so easily.

Something was definitely not right with him. But Throbb, he seemed to be trustworthy enough. As far as Zak had told him, he said he could be trusted.

That was something, he thought.

He silently glided to the ground before coming to a stop on top of a rock, needing to give his wings a short rest. Shade wondered how Marina and the Greywing were faring out in their spots. Maybe they got some good catches, too? Probably some fat and juicy tiger moths. Perhaps even grubs freshly dug up from the ground? Just thinking about it was making his mouth water. The teen quickly licked his lips to avoid drooling on himself before idly blowing air through his lips.

Despite how bored he was feeling at the moment the thought of falling further behind his colony still lingered in his mind. He only hoped that his friends, and Goth and Throbb, wouldn't take long to hunt.

He suddenly picked up a rustling coming from off to to his left. The Silverwing crouched down to ready a quick getaway if he needed to. His eyes scanned the brush before picking out a distinct shape amongst the grass. Ears? He fired off a ring of sound to get a better bead on what it could be. They were a pair of ears, for sure. But then he recognized the head of purple hair.

It was Throbb!

Shade grinned as he kept low and sneakily moved through the grass. He didn't know why he suddenly felt playful, but perhaps it was due to the fact that the chubby Vampyrum seemed totally unaware of his presence.  
Shade chuckled silently as he was only a few more steps away. He reached out to move aside the grass, looking at Throbb before the bright color of orange had caught his eye, just below the larger bat's form.

He looked down out of natural curiousity.

Throbb kept focused only on biting and chewing. He didn't want to look nor see what he was eating. Lest he run the risk of making himself sick and throwing up a life-saving meal.

He was so focused that he failed to notice anything around him. But the sound of a sharp intake of breath had snapped him out of it and put his senses back into focus.

Whipping around to the source of the noise, blood coming off his muzzle in several wet drops, Throbb's stomach dropped.

Shade was standing only a wing's length away from him. His eyes wide with horror, looking from the partially devoured bat and back to the Vampyrum over and over. Throbb looked back to what he had already done. The Brightwing's neck had been nearly eaten completely, along with most of it's chest and stomach area, exposing part of the ribs and the entrails within.

Horrifically, the organs and heavy amount of blood steamed in the cold early winter air.

The Silverwing was shivering, taking in sharp erratic breaths, now staring right at Throbb with pure fear and betrayal. The entire thing made him look like a monster.

"Shade," He spoke softly, but was panicking on the inside, "Shade, let me...l-let me explain. I know what this looks like, but, please. I would never hurt you. Nor your friends. Just...calm down and let me-," He tried to wipe away the blood on his muzzle, but he only managed to smear it onto his cheek. The young boy stumbled and fell onto his back when trying to move away from him. Now he was frantically scrambling backwards with his hands and feet.

"N-No. No. No, no, no! You ate-! You were eating-! B-But-! How could you?! You're...cannibals?!"

"No! We're not cannibals! Shade, please, let me explain! I'm only trying to survive, I don't take any pleasure from this! Let's just calm down and talk-" The Silverwing only shook his head frantically before getting back to his feet and taking off in a panic driven rush. "Shade! Stop! Please! I'm not a cannibal, I swear! I-!" Throbb shouted after him, but he could only watch as the young boy disappeared into the woods. Leaving him behind with the first bat he had ever eaten in his life.

He sunk down to his knees. Holding his head in his hands as his mind raced. Trying to figure out what to do. How to explain that he had only done what he had to.

But nothing came to him. Throbb could only shake his head before leaning forward so far that he touched the cold dirt beneath him..

Only one phrase had left his lips.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

***Goth is saying 'young man' in Spanish when he's talking to Zak.**

**** Throbb's prayer to Zotz in English goes as such: "Dear Zotz, thank you for this bounty. Please guide this spirit to peace and give them my eternal gratitude for gifting me strength and life."**

***** "Hermano mayor" is 'big brother' in Spanish.**

**Well, this is one of my longest chapters ever! I sure hope you guys like it, I stayed up pretty late to finish it up with the best quality. I just couldn't stop myself! XD**

**But...woof. Yeah. A bit of a heavier chapter in terms of emotional stuff here. And, well, Shade discovering the horrifying truth about Goth and Throbb.**

**Well, really though, Throbb was given no other choice here. He abstained from eating bat meat, but considering his situation, the poor guy had no other choice. It was either he eat now or risk starving later in the journey.**

**But now we're getting into the good stuff! I believe it's time for Orestes to shine soon, isn't it? :)**

**Hope you guys enjoy the read!**


	11. Prince of the Owls & Towers of Fire Pt1

**Chapter 9: Prince of the Owls & Towers of Fire (Part 1)**

* * *

Goth lapped up the last remaining traces of blood from his claws, almost purring in delight from the exotic taste that it left behind. So much better then the tiny mice that the Humans had given them during their imprisonment. The meat of the lone bat he had just killed was so much more juicy. A slightly pungent taste, but it was sublime. Not to mention very bloody. But it was a grand feast for him, nearly consuming the entirety of his prey, stripping bones clean and even separating the head from the body entirely.

If he had to admit, he had himself a brief moment of fun with it. Having held the head easily with one hand, while the other toyed with the bat's jaw to make it appear as if it was speaking to him.

_"__Oh, your highness! How was your meal of my delicate bat flesh? Was it to your liking?" _He spoke in a high-pitched voice, trying to copy the bat before they had been killed and devoured. With a smug and pondering grin, he replied.

"Hmm, frankly, _mi amigo_," He hummed, "It could have been better. I've eaten things with more meat on them."

_"__Many apologies, my king! If I had time to prepare I would have made myself extra succulent and filling!"_ Goth just nodded with a stern glare, as if he were scolding a child.

"Uh-huh. You should be sorry. But, I won't deny, you did have quite the good taste! My pallete has missed the texture and flavour of bat flesh." The Vampyrum smiled, kissing the tips of his fingers to show his satisfaction, "You may have lacked meat, but you were a damn good appetizer." Again, he expertly switched to his high voice again.

_"__Oh! _¡Muchas gracias! _You flatter me, my king! I'm happy to be of service to you!" _The bat's head nodded ecstatically, their teeth lightly clicked together from the movement. Despite their lifeless and uneven eyes, Goth found himself laughing in amusement from the sight.

"Goth!"

A faint but loud voice caught his ears. Goth rolled his eyes before tossing the head aside. He knew who it was without even looking.

"Goth!"

Throbb frantically flew up down to the tree stump Goth had chosen to have his meal. The taller male just gave a dismissive wave to his brother, idly picking at his teeth with his free hand.

"Quit your shouting, I'm not deaf!" He groaned, "What's got you so excited, huh? Did you manage to find yourself a proper meal?"

"What? No! No, Goth, I made a mistake! A big mistake!" Throbb panted, looking panicked and hurt, "I-I didn't find any other prey around, but I found...I found this bat! He was hurt and-and he asked me to kill him so the pain would stop and I was so hungry but I didn't want to-!"

"Throbb!" Goth shouted, startling the male into silence, though he fidgeted anxiously, "Get to the point. Please. What is wrong? What was that about eating another bat?" He raised his brow curiously.

"I had no other choice but to eat the bat. Otherwise, I was going to starve. I didn't want to, but I was so hungry! Then...Then Shade saw me. He saw what I was doing, and...a-and he looked so scared. He took off before I could explain why I had no choice! He's probably gone to tell Zak and Marina right now!" The chubby male looked up at his brother, hoping for some sort of answer on how to handle the issue. Goth just looked at him with an indifferent expression. No response. He only blinked. Then tilted his head ever so slightly and raised both brows at Throbb.

"And? What's the issue here?"

Throbb blinked. Staring back with a shocked gaze.

"What's the issue? Goth! Shade saw me eating another bat! He doesn't just think _I_ am a cannibal! He thinks we're _both_ cannibals! And he's not wrong!" He pointed at the corpse of the bat his brother had eaten. Goth stifled a burp, before frowning at his shorter counterpart.

"I'm not ashamed of it. Who are you to judge me?"

"I'm not judging you! You know I don't have a problem with our kind delving into eating bats on occasion, but even you know that I abstained from it! At least...until just a little while ago. Zotz," He cursed, grasping his head again, "What're we going to do? Shade and the others will likely flee ahead of us. How are we going to know where to go next? We'll both starve at this rate!"

Throbb waited for Goth to say something. Anything that would ease his panic and help him to relax. But instead, he only heard a chuckle erupting from his brother. Then it evolved into almost joyous laughter. He wondered, how could his own half brother possibly find this situation funny? It was only until after he had calmed down some that the red haired male finally calmed down enough to talk.

"Really, did you already forget? Thanks to that little fool Shade we have the location of where his colony are going to be next!" His smile never left his face as he slowly walked past Throbb, "We don't need those three loners anymore. You and I, we will have ourselves an even better source of food! Enough to last us through this whole retched winter!"

The purple haired bat just looked at Goth with apprehension. Knowing exactly what he was going on about. And he did not like the sound of it one bit.

"Goth. You don't mean...? Eating Shade's colony?"

"What else would I be referring to?" The tall Vampyrum only grinned darkly, "Just think, you and I will never be hungry and we will have more then enough strength for us to return to our beloved jungle. You might have to compromise with having bat meat for awhile," He quickly added with an understanding nod, "But our bellies will never be empty. We just have to go to the location Shade described in his sound map. The Fire Towers."

"But how are we even supposed to find it? All Shade gave us was the name of the place."

"Have faith, dear brother, for I scouted the area for a clue on how we can find the towers. Come. Up here." Goth suddenly took off skyward, leaving Throbb confused before he finally followed after him. They both flew until they were above the trees and then climbing up higher. Once they were up to a specific height, the male only gestured with his head to something ahead of them, smiling all the while. When the shorter male looked, he finally understood what the clue was.

Towers. A number of them going along one single path through a clear path in the trees. He could see the strange lines moving along them, as well.

So this is what they were supposed to follow. No doubt that they would find the Silverwings there. If they were fast enough.

But Throbb swallowed when he realized something else. If Shade and his friends had indeed already left ahead of them, no doubt that he and his brother would run into them as well. And he dearly hoped that they wouldn't be harmed if they got in Goth's way.

It baffled the trio on how fast things had escalated for them all. Marina and Zak had returned to the designated meetup spot, having finished with their hunting but with subpar results. They only found a few beetles in the spots they had chosen.

Then Shade appeared, looking scared out of his mind and frantically telling them that they had to fly. He nearly screamed at them when they tried to ask what was wrong. Only after they had started flying did the Silverwing finally explain what was going on. He told them of the horrific sight of Throbb eating another bat. But not just any bat, it had been a Brightwing. Marina was visibly disturbed by this. The large bat having eaten one of her kind. But none more worrying then the fact that not just him, but Goth, knew where the colony was heading next. She urged that they had to hurry and look for the Fire Towers.

They had been flying for a few minutes before Shade sighed.

"Guys," He spoke up, looking at the Marina and to Zak, "I'm sorry. About Goth and Throbb. I thought that we could trust them, I really did. But I should've listened when you were trying to warn me about them. And now? Now my colony's in danger because of me. Because I was too stupid and trusting!"

"Hey, Shade, you're not stupid," Zak quickly interjected, "I understand that it was difficult to see the truth about them. I'll admit, even I was fooled. I thought Throbb could be trusted. But...I guess I was wrong. Zephyr's prediction was wrong. It was a longshot to think that we would be safe with them."

"It wasn't any of your guys' fault," Marina spoke up next, "Maybe I could have done something, too, but it's not going to do us any good worrying about what-ifs. It's in the past now. What we need to do now is try and get to your colony before Goth and Throbb do." She turned to Shade, "Did you see anything that could give us a clue on how to find the towers? Like a river or maybe even mountains?"

Shade quickly thought about it from when he last looked at the map. His eyes brightened up quickly.

"There were these other big towers that followed along a kind of path through the forest. Paths made by Humans after they steal the trees."

"Then that's where we start. Let's find these other towers and see if they lead us to where we need to go. C'mon!" Marina beamed optimistically as she took point, charging ahead of the two males. They only smiled as they followed suit.

* * *

**Elsewhere, with the Owls...**

* * *

The way it moved so gracefully, despite it having more then just two legs like other animals, was truly a sight to behold. The spider lowered itself down on a single strand of silk, touching down on it's web with nary a sound nor sudden movement. A young owl watched only a few steps away, their keen eyes scanning the arachnid as it slowly yet expertly crawled to the center of the intricate web.

The owl's name, was Orestes. His light and dark brown feathers were neatly groomed and preened, along with a head of dark orange feathers that almost appeared to be hair. He wasn't just any sort of owl that roamed the northern forests. While he didn't look like it, was actually royalty.

Prince Orestes. Son to King Boreal, of the owls, to be exact.

Though nobody really expected him to be royalty, at least not at first glance, especially considering his interests. He had mind meant for learning and storing knowledge of whatever it was he came across. From the beasts, to the bats, to the insects and herbal remedies and which herbs could be used to improve them. Even Human objects he had an extensive knowledge about. But for the moment, his current interest was the spider he was looking at.

"Oh, look at you," He said softly to the insect now settled in the center of it's web, "Very beautiful work, I have to say. Not to mention you yourself look just as lovely."

It was true. The spider itself was a rather nice specimen. It was a dark green in color, with some spots of a brighter green along the sides of its abdomen and a strip of heavier hair along the top of it. The arachnid just sat there peacefully as the owl prince looked it over.

Then he got curious on what it's reaction would be if it's home was disturbed.

Orestes wasn't going to hurt the spider. He just wanted to see how it would respond in a fight or flight situation. He slowly reached a wing forward and, as gently as possible, touched the very edge of the web. The entire thing gave a shudder as his feathers grazed and tugged on the silk lines. The spider didn't seem to like that very much, as it immediately jumped off of its home.

And right onto Orestes' face.

The owl cried out in alarm from the spider's unexpected response, stumbling backward and right off of the branch he had been standing on. He didn't fall far and landed with a grunt, the spider immediately leaving him be as it wandered off into the grass.

But the sound of greatly amused laughter reached his ears, catching the sight of Lieutenant Atlas and another owl soldier standing only a few feet away. Of course they had seen his blunder. Atlas himself had eased up his laughter enough to walk over to the fallen prince, offering a wing to him.

"Are you alright, your grace?" He tried to stifle a chuckle as Orestes got back on his feet without any help, "That spider sure showed you who was boss, didn't it?"

"Hey, I was expecting it to do anything else but jump at me! And could you please stop calling me that? I've been with you guys for a couple of months now. Don't you think you could drop the formalities? And where did you come from? I thought you were gone on an assignment?" The younger owl sighed, brushing the first off his feathers as he glared at the lieutenant. Another chuckle only escaped the older owl.

"Heh, sorry. Just a force of habit. I only just got back from a scouting mission. I wish I could tell you what was going on, but I don't think it would-"

"Sir! It's the General!"

The owl soldier suddenly called, grabbing Atlas and Orestes' attention. They all looked up and spotted the large owl gliding in before landing on a tree stump. Looking over the three owls with an intense gaze. Brutus looked directly at Atlas, the smokey grey owl standing at attention almost instantly.

"Lieutenant Atlas. Anything to report?"

"Yes, General. We have a colony of Greywings in custody to the west. And...as you ordered, they were dealt with." There hesitation in Atlas' voice, but Brutus only nodded curtly.

"Good. The bats need to know that the law is absolute. Did you find the Silverwings?"

"No, sir. We haven't found anything else after our scouts stationed outside the City first spotted them. We almost had them, but they managed to escape. But we'll keep looking, General."

"See that you do. If we can't find the lawbreaker, we can find his colony. Take two scouts with you and investigate the eastern perimeter. See if you can't find any traces of them there."

"Yes sir." Atlast nodded, turning around to take flight.

"Oh, and Lieutenant, take Orestes with you."

Both the older and younger owl looked at Brutus with different degrees of surprise. Orestes, because this was the first time he was being assigned to follow someone other then just learning war tactics and combat maneuvers. Granted, it had been boring, and difficult on his wings, and it made him look forward to studying the insect life much more afterwards. But it was a first that he was being given such an assignment.

For Atlas, he was mainly concerned with putting the prince in any potential danger. But, also, from exposing him to the harsh truth about the war that was going on without his knowledge. During the time Orestes had been with them, they had rarely told him anything of what was going on. Except that there was indeed a war brewing and that birds had been killed very recently and that a Shade Silverwing, plus two of his accomplices, were wanted criminals. But that was it. He didn't want to tell him of what was being done to the bats that they had banned from the skies.

"B-But, sir, are you sure-?" Brutus was about to reprimand him for seemingly trying to disobey an order before Orestes stepped in.

"I'll go! I mean, I have no issue with that, General!" He chirped excitedly, maybe a little too excitedly, clearing his throat to speak more calmly, "Sorry. I'll gladly go along with him. But, before I do, do you mind if I had a word with you? Just for a moment, I swear it won't take too much of your time!"

Both the general and lieutenant looked at the owl prince and then each other. Atlas eventually shrugged and nodded his head. Brutus nodded in return.

"Alright, me and the scouts will be waiting for you, your high-," He quickly caught himself, "Sorry. Orestes. We'll be waiting until you're ready to go." With a flap of his wings, the owl and the soldier both took off, giving Orestes and the general privacy.

"Alright, what did you want to talk about, Orestes?"

"I just wanted to talk about the fugitives we're looking for. Shade Silverwing is his name, right?" Brutus raised a feathery brow.

"Yes. What about him?"

"I was doing some thinking after you told me about him. About how he...you know. Killed some birds, plus some owls. Doesn't it seem impossible for him to have done such a thing on his own?"

"On his own, yes, it would have been impossible." Brutus answered gruffly, "But he wasn't alone. He had two accomplices with him that would make the deed easier. Three bats against one bird? Those odds are never good for our kind."

"Maybe so," Orestes interjected quickly but thoughtfully, "But think about it, General, even with three bats going after one target, their size alone would make it impossible for them to kill a fully grown bird. Let alone an owl. And you said they were only young bats, right? No way newborns could do such a thing." This made Brutus go silent for a few seconds. The large owl seemed to be giving it some actual thought, processing the prince's words. He hummed.

"Yes. That's a good point. Maybe Shade and his partners didn't have anything to do with the murders, but that still leaves one plausible theory that makes them accessories to the crime."

"What's that?"

"They are spies for their colony. Think about it, Orestes, they find where birds are stationed and they go back to the colony to report. Then the whole swarm attacks, making it much easier to kill birds!" The young owl swallowed at this information. Perhaps, it was indeed possible for a whole colony to kill one bird alone. Still, Orestes had a feeling that something didn't add up.

"Orestes. I am truly proud that you've taken to learning the ways of war so well. Even if you spend most of your free time looking at...bugs." Brutus said softly, "No other prince would have done as well as you have. I just want you to know that it's truly an honor to have you here. I'm sure your father King Boreal would be proud of you, too."

Orestes just gave a nervous smile and thanked the General for his words. He didn't exactly feel lucky himself, but at least he had been learning important skills. But the subject of war greatly concerned him, especially how Brutus himself and his disdain to the entire bat race. His father, Boreal, didn't have a high opinion of the bats himself but wasn't as harsh and the General's. He tolerated the bats and only wanted to maintain order without going too far. No violent means whatsoever. Remembering Atlas was waiting for him, Orestes took his leave, thanking Brutus for sparing the time to talk before he took flight.

It was time for his first ever scouting mission. Despite being nervous before he was honestly looking forward to it. After all, it was only scouting the eastern perimeter of the forest. Nothing could go wrong.

Could it?

* * *

**Back with the trio...twenty minutes later...**

* * *

The three bats kept an eye out for the towers Shade had seen in his map. But, so far, none of them had seen anything of the like anywhere. But, granted, it was hard to see anything down below them as a low hanging layer of clouds had obscured some of their view. Marina was still leading, while Shade and Zak looked around. The Silverwing only sighed when he turned up nothing in his view.

"Maybe I was wrong," A tone of defeat in his voice, "I don't see any of those towers anywhere."

"I'm not seeing anything, either." The Greywing added, "We're high up quite a bit already, how hard is it to find these towers? We should've seen something by now."

Marina kept looking. Despite the absence of what they were searching for she wasn't about to give up that easily. But then, she looked ahead and squinted at something just past the thin clouds. Her eyes lit up before looking back at her friends with an excited grin.

"Guys! Look down there!"

Both males looked in the same direction, focusing on where the Brightwing had been looking. As the clouds finally parted, they could finally see the what they had been looking for.

Large electric towers were running along one lone path, heading further and further away. Zak let a smile of his own form as he and Shade cheered exictedly.

"Woohoo! There it is! Now we're on the right track!" Marina just giggled at the Greywing.

"Let's go! We just need to follow it and it should lead us to-!"

Suddenly, the sound of someone squawking in distress caught their ears. It almost sounded like a bird's call. Then a voice called out right after, catching Zak's attention even further.

"Help! Heeeelp!"

"Did you guys hear that?"

"Sounds like they're in trouble!" Marina gasped, "We should go and see who it is!"

"That...sounded like a bird." Shade muttered almost bitterly, not even bothering to hide the tone in his voice. Both Marina and Zak looked at him.

"Bird or not, Shade, we have to help them. You can wait for us if you'd like, but Marina and I are heading down there." Without another word, he dove straight down to the trees below, Marina following right after him.

"Hey! W-Wait up!"

Not as gracefully, Shade trailed behind his friends, coming back into the trees and heading towards the source of the cry. It didn't take long as another squawk got their attention, following that and the sounds of someone struggling, the trio came across a rather unexpected sight. An owl, a juvenile from what Zak could tell from it's size when they neared it, was caught in a net suspended between two trees. The poor thing kept struggling before stopping, the net only stretching and preventing them from getting out properly. The owl frantically looked at all three bats with a pleading gaze.

"Hey! You gotta help me! I'm getting strangled here! Please, I've never hurt a bat in my entire life! I have nothing against you guys, I swear!"

"Hey hey, take it easy, don't panic," Zak eased the owl, "We'll try and get you out."

"Oh, we will? Do you guys not see that he's an owl?" Shade sneered at the large bird, "Considering what his kind have done to us, he should stay stuck in there!"

"Shade!" Marina scolded, having been looking over the net, "He's just a young owl! He hasn't done anything to you!"

"Maybe not yet, but he'd probably just grow up to be like the Brutus and the rest of the owls. Hating bats when we didn't do anything to them."

"Guys, um, I'm not really that young," The owl spoke up, looking uneasily between Marina and Shade, "I'm actually sixteen-"

"Shade, would you knock it off?" Zak, unintentionally, cut him off and looked at the Silverwing, "I thought Zephyr's lesson with the pigeon taught you something."

"Lesson?"

"Yeah. He said never underestimate the power of a kind act. Even to one's enemy. While he may have been wrong about Throbb before, I'm sure this is the right thing to do here." The Greywing said sagely, Marina nodding in addition. Shade, realizing what they were talking about, softly huffed and crossed his arms. At least it seemed like he understood now. But he wasn't too thrilled about it.

The Brightwing took one more look at the net, "Hmm. You know...this almost looks like the same kind of net the Humans used when they banded me. We can get him out of there easy, we just need to spread it open. Zak, grab that other end of the net and help me pull!"

"You got it." Both bats grabbed the strands of rope that were attached to the bottom of the net, both grunting as they held on tight and began to pump their wings hard to start tugging with all of their strength.

Though it was proving a bit of a challenge as the ropes were elastic, both the Greywing and Brightwing kept pulling the net further and further away from the trees then they had expected. But it wasn't long before the ropes went taut, signalling that the net was at it's max stretch. Both bats kept pulling only in an attempt to be sure that it would be enough for the owl to get out. The bird, meanwhile just nervously looked about himself as their prison was put into an odd angle.

"Uhhh, are you guys sure you know what you're do-" The owl began to ask nervously.

But his question morphed into an alarmed and drawn out scream as Zak and Marina finally let go of the net, itself snapping back with enough force that the young owl didn't even need to escape on their own.

They were launched right out like they had been in a slingshot. And straight into a tree with a heavy thud. The owl only giving a slight groan as they slumped down onto a branch right below their impact point.

Shade, Marina and Zak just stared for a moment before the Greywing softly spoke.

"Uhhh...that's what we were going for, right?" He asked the Brightwing, who gave a quick shrug before they went over to check on the owl. Before they could wonder if he was really okay, Shade didn't waste any time in breaking off a long twig from the branch and began to poke at the owl's chest, "Shade! Really? There's better ways of checking to see if he's okay then just poking them with a stick!"

"Just give me a second, okay?" The Silverwing shushed, giving a few more pokes until the owl began to stir, giving a strained groan, "He's moving. That's something, right? Gee, looking at him now he's smaller then I was expecting."

"You think?" Marina sarcastically questioned, the tone yet again missed by the other teen as they looked upon the owl as they began to wake up, "You sure he's okay?"

Finally the owl's eyes opened, blearily looking at the trio with another groan. The Greywing, who was standing on the branch the owl was resting on and between his friends, moved a little closer.

"It's alright," Zak soothed them, "We're not going to hurt you. We didn't plan on getting you out like that, but at least you're free now. You good? Nothing broken, I hope. What's your name?" The owl still looked dazed, but it seemed like they could hear him, "My name's Zak. This here's Marina. And that's Shade. Shade, you can put down the stick now."

Finally the owl seemed to fully regain consciousness. It took them a moment to process that there were three bats checking up on them. They were about to respond before the sound of three pairs of giant wings came up from behind the trio. They turned around in alarm, coming face to face with three fully grown owls. One of them, Zak noticed, bore a strangely similar resemblance to a samurai. Or, something of the sort, in regards to their long yet elegant eyebrows and mustache-like feathers on either side of his beak.

He felt the tingle behind his neck the moment they arrived. They weren't in any immediate danger. But they were definitely not entirely safe, either.

"Oh." Was all the Greywing could utter, looking at the three soldiers anxiously. Shade only chuckled sheepishly, still holding onto the stick before dropping it. The lead owl just gave them all a piercing glare with his yellow eyes, making the Silverwing falter before muttering to Zak.

"What was that again about showing kindness to an enemy?" There was a slight bite in his tone. The young adult only sighed and raised his hands in surrender, dearly hoping that the owls weren't out for blood this time. Even though they had no idea what the gesture meant, the two teens copied him and held up their hands in the same manner.

Not long after, they were back in a familiar scenario. One they had hoped they never had to be in again. But here they were. The soldiers had brought them and the young owl before General Brutus, the giant male glowering down at trio. A deep sigh rumbled in his throat as he glared down at Shade the most.

"I had hoped that we would meet again, Shade," He mused, "But I had imagined it would have been under different circumstances. I see you've kept your friends around, well, that's no surprise. They're fiercely loyal to you, it seems. I thought killing pigeons wasn't enough for you, but now you've graduated to killing owls, too? When will you learn to quit?" Brutus snarled quietly. But Shade glared right back in him return.

"I didn't do anything and neither did my friends! I-...We were-...We were just trying to help this runty owl!"

"That 'runty' owl isn't just your average owl!" Brutus fumed at the insult, pointing to the young owl in question with his wing, "That is the son of King Boreal himself, Prince Orestes. And you will treat him with the respect that he deserves, Silverwing." The owl, Orestes, just glanced nervously back and forth between the General and the three bats. He only gave a small shrug at them. As much as they were amazed, though Shade not as much, the group focused back on the topic on hand. Marina choosing to speak up next.

"We were only trying to help him! He was caught in a trap!"

"General, please listen," Zak quickly cut in, "You have to believe us, we were only doing the right thing in helping him out from the trap! We never laid a hand on any owls! I mean, the prince is still alive, isn't he?"

"Enough! Both of you!" Brutus flared his wings out, silencing them in an instant, "I may not understand why you two choose to defend this...pint sized criminal. But, I'll have you know that the prince and I have come up with an interesting theory regarding your true roles in the matter. Perhaps it is true and the three of you have never actually attacked those pigeons and owls in the City." The three bats quickly looked at one another in confusion.

"Perhaps the only logical explanation for the deaths is that you are all spies."

"What?! Are you kidding?!" Shade blurted out incredulously.

"That's ridiculous! We don't even know where the colony is! I told you, we got separated from them two nights ago! Uh, three nights ago if you count the night we spent in the City!" Zak added in, just as shocked that they were being accused for being possible spies now.

"Well can you give me any other reason _not_ suspect your colony? Only an entire swarm of bats could overpower and kill owls. Tell me, Greywing, you seem to be the most mature out of your friends. Do you think you could tell me who the real culprits are then?" The General spoke in an almost mocking tone, clearly expecting some sort of lie as he leaned down closer to them.

No, he wasn't going to lie. He was going to tell the truth. He took a deep breath, not taking his eyes off of Brutus'.

"The culprits _are_ bats. But they're not like us, they're bigger. Faster and stronger. They're not from here, they came from farther down south. You'd know them if you see them. And they're meat eaters. That's the reason why pigeons and owls are suddenly turning up dead. They are the real criminals here! Not us!"

"Oh, so now it's giant bats, eh?" Just by that tone in the owl's voice alone, Zak knew that he was not believing it one bit, "Are you really buying into that pigeon's sob story about them?"

"Actually, they're cannibals!" Shade piped up, only succeeding in making Brutus nearly chuckle.

"Oh they're cannibals, too! Well, how about that!" The rest of the owl soldiers let loose some chuckles of their own, the mockery in Brutus' voice immediately diminished Shade and Zak's resolve at trying to tell the truth. The large owl only let a cruel smile form on his beak as he looked back at the trio, "That's almost a convincing story, Greywing. But, you see, we aren't interested in fabricated nonsense. What we want is the truth. And we'll get it out of you. All of you. One way or another. You say you don't know where your colony is or where they're headed next, fine. Keep to your story. But you'll talk. This time there's no escape for you."

Brutus directed his soldiers to take them to lockup, the three bats being picked up by the scruffs of their neck and carried off towards another area of the forest.

Orestes could only watch as his saviors were carried off to their cell. While he was worried, he was also surprised to see the fugitive Shade Silverwing himself. Honestly, he was expecting someone larger and more imposing. Certainly not a tiny little thing like him!

And his friends, the Brightwing and Greywing, just didn't fit the image of criminals. They seemed innocent, enough. And it didn't sit well with him that those three were going to be interrogated for information they very likely didn't even have. But worse, they were probably going to die if they didn't give the answers the rest of the owls wanted.

He slowly paced on the spot, trying to think of a way to help his rescuers like they helped him. First, he needed to form a plan of his own. And he was definitely good at those. He had made a few before that worked out perfectly. Mostly to his own benefit. And occasionally others' benefits.

But he had to try and talk to the General first. See if he would listen to logic and reason. It was worth a try.

The inside of the cell was nothing much to look at, Zak first noticed when they were brought in. He didn't know whether the hole had initially been made by another animal or the owls had hollowed it out themselves. The hollow was right inside the trunk of a large tree, complete with a heavy wooden cage door to keep them inside. If it weren't for the single owl guard posted right outside, it would have been possible to escape right then and there.

But, unfortunately, the trio was stuck. The Greywing himself was slowly pacing near the cell door while Marina and Shade were huddled together. The Silverwing none too happy for their situation.

"I knew saving that owl was a bad idea!" He griped, "If we had just left him alone we wouldn't be stuck in here!"

"We did the right thing, Shade! If we had ignored Orestes he would've died! And then all of us would feel terrible!" The Silverwing had no response to that and only sighed fitfully. Both of them looked over to the Greywing next as he tried to strike up a conversation with the owl guard right outside.

"Hey. So, uhh, is there any chance that we'll know when exactly someone will be by to come and talk to us? Like, half an hour from now or an hour? Anything like that?" Zak waited, resting his arms on the wooden bars and waiting for a response from the owl, "Umm...maybe soon?"

The only reply he got was a brief glance from the grey owl before they gave off a slight yawn. Seemingly bored.

"Okay. Well...thanks for your time, I guess." The young adult sighed dejectedly, stepping further into the back of the cell near his friends and slumping down against the wall. There was an uncomfortable silence between the three bats as they sat there. Contemplating what their fates were going to be. The Greywing looked at Shade and Marina, thinking something over ever since they had left the city. He was remembering Zephyr's advice.

Regarding his hidden identity.

With all of them having been caught by the owls, and with no clear means of escape in sight, it felt like this was going to be it. He hated thinking that way, but how else was he supposed to look at it? And Zephyr told him that he had to tell his friends sooner rather then later. Licking his lips, he breathed in deep and exhaled slowly.

_'Well, no time like the present.'_ He thought as he sat up cross-legged and focused on his friends.

"Shade? Marina?" The two looked at him with soft eyes, "There's...uhhh...there's something that I need to tell you. And I'm not sure that I'll get another chance to do this, considering our situation."

Both bats quickly glanced at each other before changing their positions so they could better focus their attention on him. Zak anxiously bit at his lips, his heart beginning to race as he prepared himself.

"First, I just want to say that...I want you guys to know that I'm really glad to have met you two. Right? Not just you guys, but those that I met in the animal shelter I came from, too. But the truth is...I, uhh, I didn't come from another Greywing colony. I'm not from here in the northern forests, at least not the way you guys might be thinking." He needed to pause again to take another breath, trying to calm the building anxiety, "I wasn't born a bat. I never was. I'm a...I am actually...a...a-a human. I may look like a bat, eat like a bat and fly like a bat. But no. On the inside I'm human."

There it was. He finally got the truth out. But it still didn't feel good. Again Shade and Marina were just looking at him with blank looks, although their eyes did widen a bit from the reveal of his true identity.

"I mean, I have a family where I originally came from. Human parents. I don't know how I even got here in the first place. Fate? Magic? Or the will of the gods? I don't know! All I do know is that your goddess, Nocturna, brought me here! I know it must be hard to believe, but it's true! I am a human! Like, Marina, remember what I said to you about being in your shoes? That's a human expression that we use in our own lives! And Shade, remember when I was telling you, Todd, Breeze and Chinook about giant bats actually being real? The only reason I know about that is because I read books on animals! Books that other humans have made for, well, other humans to read!" He chuckled bitterly, only feeling worse that he had hid something like this for so long until the worst possible moment, running his fingers through his hair and mane with a conflicted look in his eyes, "I only kept it a secret because...because I didn't know how you guys would've reacted. I was scared. Scared of what you would think of me for actually being part of a race that only causes problems for the animals. I don't know the first thing about the laws of this world. I'm still learning something new every step of the way we've been on this journey! I don't...I don't even know if I'll even be able to go home after this. If I'll even live that long to begin with. Or...if any of us live this long."

At this, the two younger bats looked at one another with their own conflict, then with sympathy they looked at the Greywing who had gone quiet. Not knowing what else to say to his friends now that they knew the truth about him. He sniffed, only to clear his nose before he spoke in a softer tone.

"I'm sorry, you guys. I really am. I don't know what you think of me now. You especially, Marina. I had a feeling you have a stronger opinion on us humans, especially after you got your band. What it cost you. I'm sorry for lying to you both. I just needed to get that out before...you know." Zak held his face in his hands, covering his eyes as he sat there. Strangely feeling more alone then he ever did before, despite the shared space in the prison cell.

The silence, save for the noises of the forest outside, filled the air. Making the Greywing feel even more alone. He couldn't see their faces, but he could imagine that both bats were looking at him with betrayal, for lying about his real identity. For being from a race that caused damage to their world. They were right to feel that way, he thought. He couldn't blame them.

But a small hand on his shoulder stopped his train of thought. Then another on his opposite shoulder. The touch alone was enough to make him look up from his hands. And into the surprisingly gentle and understanding eyes of the Silverwing and the Brightwing. They had moved closer so that they were kneeling on either side of him. Shade on his right and Marina on his left.

"Hey, Zak," Shade started first, "Listen. It is a little...surprising. Knowing who you really are. But to be honest with you? Human or not, you're awesome. Really! I mean, look at all the stuff that you did for Marina and I!" He looked at the Brightwing with a smile, "The first thing that he did when we first met? He told off Chinook when he was trying to bully me. But not just that, when he and I saw the sun and that owl was chasing us? This guy, right here, went to lead the owl away from me just so I could have the chance to escape! He was putting his own life at risk for me! And then when Tree Haven was burned down he saved my brother when he was trapped in the fire. If that's not a sign that he's really a good human, than I don't know what is."

Marina seemed genuinely surprised that a human in a bat's body would go to such lengths to protect someone that, at the time, he did not even know. But the way Shade shown clear admiration to the now Greywing, it was enough to tell her that Zak truly was a good person. She gave a little sigh as she sat down near him.

"I'm gonna be honest here, big guy. It's still going to take me some time to get used to the truth about you." She admitted, looking at her friend with a new sense of awareness but understanding, "You are right, the Humans are...complicated. Like the bands they give to some of us. I don't know what they're supposed to mean. But maybe you do, so I'm glad for that. If you don't mind, that is. I just want to know the truth behind their meaning. Are they really cursed? Or not?" She looked over her band, running her thumb over the numbers she did not understand.

"I understand, Marina, that you'll need some time. As for the bands, well, they do have a use where I'm from. But I'm not really an expert on the bands, I only know the main purpose they're used for. They're mostly used to track bat colonies and how they move when they migrate, so that humans can study the unique patterns and paths they take." Zak looked over Marina's band again thoughtfully, "Or, in other cases, they're merely a means of identification. Meaning that the humans use your band and those numbers printed on it to know if you're one bat or another. So they can study your health and appearance. These bands don't track you."

"Oh. I see." Marina looked dejected at the reality of the bands, "So...they're really not that special, after all."

"No! No no no, I didn't say that!" He quickly added, "Maybe to you and whichever other bats think so, maybe the bands are special in this world. Nevermind what Goth said about the bands. If there really is something special about the bands, we'll find out later down the road. That's another human expression, in case you were wondering." He said with a smile, his words making the Brightwing smile and scoff playfully.

"I wasn't. But thanks for making it clear, though." Both bats shared a soft laugh, then she looked back at Zak once more, "Shade's right. Even though you're a human, you really are amazing. Honestly, I would've thought that you'd have took off from how stressful everything is. But instead, you're still here and wanting to help us both. Even after we've had disagreements here and there." The Brightwing stole a very quick glance at the scratch she had left behind on his cheek, a twinge of guilt going through her. Despite that, the older male only smiled and shrugged.

"Hey, just because I'm in an entirely new place and have no idea how to deal with certain situations, it doesn't mean I'm just going to up and abandon you guys. Besides, even though I haven't made a promise to anyone," He patted the shoulders of his friends, looking between the both of them, "I swore to myself that I'll get you guys to the Silverwings. Whatever it takes."

It was a very selfless thing to say, something that both younger bats greatly admired. Shade couldn't stop himself from hugging the Greywing, meanwhile Marina just patted Zak's shoulder in return. She wasn't quite used to the more emotional stuff, but she showed her affection in her own way. For a moment, the trio just sat there in a much more warm silence then before. Until the young adult's ears perked up as a question brewed in his mind.

"Listen, I'm grateful that you guys are cool with my real identity and all, but...I kind of expected a bit more of a reaction. Did you somehow figure out who I was already?" At this, both the Brightwing and Silverwing's eyes widened lightly and a very odd look crossed their faces.

"Uhhhhh...well," Marina started, "There's kinda...a little...something...that we need to tell you, too." She said with a sheepish smile. She seemed to be taking her time, until Shade suddenly pointed at her.

"It was Marina's idea, she wanted to eavesdrop on you and Zephyr back in the cathedral."

"Hey!" She gawped, "Don't forget that you went along with it, too!"

"Wait, you were eavesdropping?" Zak asked calmly, though he did not look pleased at the info, "I'm not mad, but...that's just not cool. Seriously. It kinda ruins the moment of me telling you guys the truth, y'know?"

* * *

**An hour later...**

* * *

The trio had settled down for a brief nap. Despite knowing of what was awaiting them, sitting around in a rather bare cell was boring and tiring. All three bats had their backs rested against the smooth curved wall of the cell, Shade and Marina leaning against the Greywing's shoulders as they slept. Zak was only partially asleep, occasionally waking up whenever the owl guarding them moved. Those huge clawed feet made quite a bit of noise. He was about to doze off again when he heard another pair of wingbeats coming to their location, then someone landing. He turned his head towards the cell door, ears standing at attention.

"I'm here to relieve you." A familiar voice spoke, most likely talking to the guard himself. Shade had woken up and asked him what was going on, but Zak quietly shushed him so he could keep listening. Marina had also woken up, turning her attention to the door as she sat up.

"Really? But, my prince, I still have another hour left-"

"On General Brutus' orders," The younger voice insisted, "Unless you're really willing to turn down an early break. It must be boring standing guard over prisoners who barely say a word, right?" There was a smile in their tone. The older owl shifted on their feet before finally replying in a more reserved but clearly relieved tone.

"Very well then. Give the General my thanks if you meet him, would you? And thank you, of course, my prince." The owl's form soon left with a flap of their wings. Not long after, the face of Orestes appeared.

"Hey! You three," He whispered to them while peering through the door, "Guard's gone. Do you want to get out of here?"

Zak and Marina immediately smiled in relief. This was it. They had their chance to get out!

"Uh, no thanks." Shade suddenly muttered bitterly.

"What?!"

Both older bats snapped their heads at the Silverwing in stunned confusion, and he quickly added in a rather loud whisper.

"This is just a trick. The second he opens that door and we get out, he cries for help, the owls come back, we get ripped to pieces and he'd probably be rewarded for catching us!" Orestes gave a light scoff and turned away from the cell door.

"Wait!" Marina halted him, her and Zak standing up to move closer, "Why would you even let us go? You'd get into trouble for sure!"

"More then just trouble," The Greywing chimed in, "The owl prince helping three fugitives escape? Nothing good can come of that. Especially for you. Why risk your life at freeing us?" The owl turned back to the two bats with a more determined look in his eyes.

"If you're worried about my reputation, please don't. It's the only right thing to do, isn't it? After all, you three helped me. The least I can do is help you in return. And besides, you don't look like owl killers to me. No offense, but...you're all a little small to be able to do that."

"Small?!" Shade barked, rushing over to Zak's side and glaring up at Orestes through the wooden bars, "Who are you calling small?!"

"Shade, he means all our sizes in general. But, yeah, that's a good point. If only Brutus could see it the way you do, Orestes."

"So do I," Orestes sighed, "I tried talking to him earlier about how it's impossible you three could be spies. But he won't listen to reason. He's fixated on waging war on the bats. But I'm not going to let that happen. I'm not just going to help you escape. I want to help you guys clear your names. Whatever I can do, I'll try. Even if it means I might get disowned by my father or...," He gulped, "...worse."

Hearing that, the three bats looked at one another. Surprised by how far the young owl was willing to go just to prove their innocence. It certainly seemed to change Shade's mind as he peered up at Orestes eagerly.

"O-Okay, well, thanks. I really do mean that. Sorry about calling you runty, earlier. I'm actually a runt myself, so, who am I to talk?" He said, before quickly muttering, "Never thought I'd use that word on myself."

He looked back to the owl and pointed to where the main stick of the door was wedged into a gap that acted as a latch, "Do you mind opening the door for us then, please?"

Taking a quick look around, just to be sure that there were no other guards watching, Orestes unlatched the cell door; the trio exiting with a grateful sigh as they stretched out their wings. All three bats looked up at the owl with relieved faces and smiles.

"Thanks, Orestes," Shade breathed, "Now we need to get out of here. Right now!"

"And go where, exactly?" Marina turned to him worriedly, "We don't even know where we are right now!"

"The fire towers, remember? We were going to follow those other towers?"

"But how would we know if we're even following them the right way? Or if they even lead there at all?" Zak added, he too was worried about their destination, "For all we know we might just be following a dead end."

"Actually, if you guys don't mind my input, I know the place you're talking about." Orestes chimed in, earning surprised glances from the bats, "When you say 'fire towers', you're probably talking about the electric power relay station built by the Humans, right?" Shade and Marina only looked confused, not having heard of such a thing before and whether or not is was related to the towers at all.

"Uhhhh, I...think so?" Shade hesitated, looking to his friends, specifically Zak; if they knew if that was what they were looking for, "Can you point us in the right direction?

"Sure, no problem! It'd be much easier if I showed you where it is rather then just sending you all off on your own, though. It's the least I can do, after all." The owl only smiled as he turned and spread his wings, "Follow me!"

With one strong pump of his wings, the prince went ahead of the trio, before they followed after him. As they climbed above the trees, Zak couldn't help but think back to Zephyr's prediction regarding their journey. Specifically, about them meeting an unexpected ally and getting help from them. Orestes certainly was unexpected but it made him feel glad that they had some help from someone who he initially thought would be their mortal enemy. And he wasn't just any owl, he was the prince of all owls! Maybe not all of them, he wasn't sure how exactly owl royalty worked. Did they rule over all owls? Or just a certain number? And were the rest ruled by another royal family?

He just shook his head and focused on the flight. Following Orestes was their best and only decision in order to find their next destination. He only hoped that Goth and Throbb hadn't already gotten there before them.

He had completely forgotten to ask the prince if he was actually taking his place guarding the prisoners. The owl guard hadn't gone to Brutus, instead he turned around and went back to the holding area. The least he could do for his prince was double check and see if he was okay.

Guard duty was a real drag, if the owl had to be honest. He couldn't blame Orestes for feeling bored in the first few minutes of the job, if he was. The owl reached his destination and looked around for the familiar prince.

But there was no sign of him anywhere. Confused, the owl took a closer look around the area before realizing that the cell door was open.

It...was open?

Peering inside, the owl guard eyes widened when he spotted the lack of prisoners. He took another frantic look around the area, no sign of the bats nor Orestes. Two possibilities went through his mind. One, the bats had managed to escape after he had left, and kidnapped Orestes as leverage against the General. Perhaps even King Boreal himself. But how would the bats have managed to open the cell door by themselves? It was built with sturdy and heavy wood, no way that even three of them together could lift the latch, especially since it remained wedged tightly against the tree to prevent an escape.

So, that left scenario number two. Orestes had freed the bats himself, the guard didn't know for what reason, and was helping them to escape. That was the only logical explanation since the young owl had told him he was relieved of his post. That meant...he had the privacy to let them out without anyone alerting the rest of the owls.

But even that sounded a lot worse then the first option.

"Oh no," The owl moaned grimly, "The General's going to kill me."

* * *

**Decided to split the chapter into two parts, the next is when the action really begins.**

**After chatting with a friend and sharing thoughts back and forth, I decided to implement yet another idea from the original book for one of the characters, Orestes! Rather then being the son of General Brutus, as he's made out to be in the show, he's the son of King Boreal. A prince! And he's assigned to General Brutus only to learn war tactics and others things among the garrison, aerial combat and defensive maneuvers being one of them.**

**And, finally, Zak decides to spill the beans to his two friends!**

**And, woof, decided to go for a bit of a more sadistic side for Goth, what with him toying with the severed head of a bat he had eaten. There's an old idea I'm putting into this story, too, but I'll reveal it later on in the later parts of the story. **

**Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the read! And Merry Early Christmas to y'all! Wanted to bring this out before the holidays officially roll around!**

_**Silverwing and its characters belong to Kenneth Oppel**_

_**Original characters belong to me**  
_


	12. Prince of the Owls & Towers of Fire Pt2

**Chapter 9: Prince of the Owls & Towers of Fire (Part 2)**

* * *

They had been flying for awhile. For how long exactly, Throbb did not know. All he knew was that he was freezing, his wings were almost aching from the cold. Along with his fur and the fat on his body, it could only provide so much warmth. Vampyrum naturally had short fur in order to combat the heat back in the south. It wasn't grown to handle the cold. He out a breath through pursed lips as he looked ahead to Goth.

"Goth? How much longer until we reach the towers?" He asked, trying to ignore how cold he was feeling, "My wings feel more stiff then usual. Is it possible for them to get frozen? What if my wings actually do end up freezing? How am I going to be able to fly if that happens?"

"I do not know, Throbb," Goth replied with a slight growl in his tone, "How would you be able to fly? Perhaps, if you're so worried about what happens to yourself, why don't you just stay put and find your own way back home? That way I don't have to hear you complain the entire flight! You're not the only one that's cold!" He spat out the last words, making it very clear that his patience was beginning to run thin. The chubby Vampyrum fell silent for a few seconds. But he chose his next words carefully so as not to upset his sibling.

"I'm not complaining. I'm sorry. It's just that it's difficult finding food here. I'm not used to this winter weather, and...I hate to say it, but I'm starting to get hungry again. If I could, I would live off the bugs here if they didn't taste so...ugh, disgusting." At this, Goth suddenly let out a laugh like he was amused by his own suffering. But the red haired bat looked back at him with a grin.

"You do not have to worry about bugs, _hermano_, not where we are going. When we get to the towers of fire, we will have ourselves a buffet waiting for us. Many a Silverwing to dine on." He purred out, licking his lips to show just how eager he was to have a meal of bat meat.

But for Throbb himself, he wasn't as eager as Goth. He was conflicted. Sickened. He hated that the only other way to survive was to eat other bats. His stomach was still turning from what he had to do before. It was only due to him shutting out his other senses that he was able to eat that Brightwing. Otherwise, he would have likely thrown up the meat from the overwhelming sense of guilt and sickness. The thought of having to eat even more bats made him even sicker. But he had to remind himself strongly that, everything that he was doing, he was doing it all to survive. He wasn't evil. He wasn't without remorse. He only wanted to go back home.

He missed his parents and his older brother. Throbb could only pray that he and Goth would make it back to them soon.

"Throbb!" Goth's voice barked at him irritably, breaking the Vampyrum out of his thoughts, "I said we're here!" He turned back ahead of him as Throbb also got a look. And he was surprised by what he saw.

The towers of fire. Well, there was a lack of fire, but his keen hearing was picking up the constant buzz of something coming from the gigantic Human structure itself. Throbb looked at the two large towers and the other smaller ones grouped at the base of them. There was a small shed built not too far. He and Goth banked and glided down to it, setting down on the roof to scope out the area. Both of them sniffed the air diligently. Trying to pick up the scent of any other bats that could be around. Goth tore a small piece of the roof off, peering into the hole in case anyone was hiding inside.

Throbb couldn't smell anything. Either there was no colony around or perhaps his nose had become too cold to properly pick up any scents, but he was glad. Somewhat.

"It looks like dinner hasn't arrived yet," Goth softly spoke, "No matter. We will wait here patiently. They should come around soon enough. We'll head inside if it gets...colder then it already is." With that, he sat down with his arms crossed. Throbb just silently agreed and set himself down on the rough shingles.

He was growing anxious. He was hungry, yes, but he didn't want to have to eat another bat. But he didn't want to starve, either. Unknown to Goth, he was dearly praying for something else.

That Shade, Marina and Zak wouldn't arrive. If they hadn't already. Having to eat bat meat was one thing. But eating children? That was going too far.

**Back with our trio...half an hour later...  
**

They had reached it. Finally.

While there wasn't any flaming towers to be seen, Orestes had delivered what he had promised and brought them to where they needed to go. The power station. During the trip, the young owl was rather excited to share his knowledge on the different kinds of electric power the humans generated and how it was done. Zak had to admit that he was impressed with how well Orestes knew of it all. But, understandably, Shade was more worried about his colony and less interested in the 'science lesson'; as he put it. As much as it must've been interesting for him to learn all of this, he was more focused on wanting to get to the fire towers as quickly as possible.

But now, having finally arrived, the group perched atop of a tool shed right outside of the station. Looking around for any sign of the Silverwing colony. Zak stood nearby the owl prince, his keen eyes scanning the large structure.

"I'm not seeing anybody," He said softly, "I think that's a good thing. But what I'm worried about is if Goth and Throbb are somewhere nearby."

"Those giant bats you were talking about? How did they get here?" Orestes asked curiously but with a serious and an alert undertone.

"As far as I know, Goth said they were captured by the Humans and brought up here. Quite a ways from home, that's for sure."

"And Shade said they were...cannibals? Is that really true?" The owl questioned with slightly more fear in his voice.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, it's true." Zak sighed, thinking back to what Shade had told him of what Throbb had done. But he shook his head free of those thoughts, "Sorry, Orestes, but I'd rather not think about it right now. We just need to make absolutely sure that Shade's colony didn't come through here."

As the bat and owl continued looking around, Shade and Marina were further behind them, both investigating the immediate area in their own way. The Brightwing was looking over a hole that had been made in the roof, while the Silverwing had begun to sniff the air curiously. He quickly picked up a peculiar scent.

"Someone's been here," He quickly muttered, Marina briefly looking up at him as his nose twitched actively, trying to figure out the smell. It was strangely familiar yet foreign.

Marina glanced back into the opening of the roof, trying to see if she could spot anything inside. She saw a flicker of movement deep within but wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her. She peered in closer, going against the feeling in her gut telling her not to do so. Despite her natural night vision, she still couldn't see very far without using her echo abilities.

But she could definitely hear something. Scratching, like claws on wood.

"Guys," Marina alerted her friends, "I think there's someone inside-," She yelped as her hand had broken off a piece of the roof shingle. The rest of the immediate section she and Shade were standing on began to shudder and creak. The Silverwing gasped and froze immediately. But what happened next he couldn't prevent as Zak and Orestes immediately fluttered over to check on them.

"Wait! Don't!" Shade called out too late as the Greywing already landed, the roof giving a frightening sound as it sagged even further, making the teen wobble uneasily on his feet.

"Oh crap! Orestes, wait!" Zak shuddered, but the owl had already moved in and landed next to them, the roof no longer able to handle the combined weight. With a terrifying crackling of wood, the group barely had time to scream as the section of gave away beneath them. There was only a second or more of being in the open air before the harsh reality of gravity, quite literally, hit them. The four individuals laid still for a moment, stunned and in pain from the impact of their short fall.

"Ow. That hurt." Zak half groaned and wheezed, having landed on his back, "You guys okay?"

Shade and Marina hissed out respectively from where they had landed, Orestes only giving out a dizzy groan in reply.

"Not...really." The Silverwing moaned.

"Ditto," Marina grunted, "Not feeling too great."

"That was quite the nasty fall indeed."

The additional deeper voice took them all by surprise. And a new sense of dread fell over the bats and the owl. While Orestes had no idea who the voice belonged to he had a good idea. But for Zak, Shade and Marina, the sound nearly made their fur stand on end. For the Greywing himself, the danger tingle had returned full force.

They turned their gazes up and locked eyes with none other then Goth. The Vampyrum was giving them a sinister stare, looking from Zak, then to the teenagers, before quickly stepping on Orestes' tail feathers to keep him from escaping. Goth merely licked his lips at the young owl. Throbb stood further back from where the group had fallen. The chubby male looked just as shocked as they were. Whether there was worry in those eyes or not Zak did not know. And neither he nor his friends were eager to find out if it was true emotion or just a facade.

"Now isn't this just a pleasant surprise?" Goth said in a warm but sinister tone, "Here Throbb and I were, waiting for your colony to show up, and what do we receive? A visit from three familiar faces and a gift? You really shouldn't have!" Neither of the bats could speak, having the knowledge of what Goth and Throbb really were. Shade, Marina and Orestes looked at the large bat fearfully, but Zak remained a little braver. Only for the sake of the other three. Truthfully, he was just as terrified being so close to a carnivorous cannibal bat. Goth focused back on the young owl, "How did you know that I love owl meat? Perhaps he will do as an appetizer before that colony of yours gets here."

Orestes' eyes widened fearfully. He tried backing away but Goth's foot prevented him from doing so. The tall Vampyrum was almost drooling in delight as he made a move towards him.

**"No!"**

Throbb's voice took everyone, even Goth, by surprise. He turned to his half brother, his face hardening at the interruption.

"What did you say?"

"I said no!" Throbb didn't back down, fixing his own hard glare right back at Goth, "I understand that we need to survive if we want to get home! I do! But there's no way in Zotz that I'm going to let you eat a child!"

"How would you know how young this owl is?" Goth snarled, becoming more distracted with the building argument, "It's food for us! That's all that matters!"

"They're no bigger then you are! I'm not going to stand by and let you-!"

"Let me? _Let me?!_ You dare give orders to me, your future king, when we're already struggling to survive in this northern hell?!"

As the two males argued, Orestes' courage came back when he saw that the pair were totally distracted. He quickly glanced towards Zak, who himself was also slowly getting to his feet. The Greywing made a motion for the owl to wait, grabbing a small piece of broken wood to use as a makeshift club. He didn't dare take his eyes off of Goth but he made sure to signal to Shade and Marina to get ready to take off.

"I'm not giving you orders, I'm telling you there are lines I will not cross!" Throbb shot back, "Eating a child is one of them!"

"We. Need. To. Survive, Throbb! What do you _not_ understand about that?!" Goth growled, beginning to become more and more frustated, so much so that he took his foot off of Orestes' tail feathers to better focus on his companion, "Do you want us to starve? Do you want us to be lost here for good? Or, no, maybe you'd rather we die due to your own precious morals?!"

Zak gave a firm nod to Orestes. As soon as he saw the signal, the owl steeled himself and quickly launched his head forward to bite at one of Goth's foot. And he made sure that his beak went into the Vampyrum's flesh hard. The large bat gave a scream of pain, instinctively trying to wrench his foot free rather then going to strike at Orestes, stumbling back the moment he was released. As soon as Goth appeared to be vulnerable, the Greywing prepared his own strike against the cannibal.

Throbb's immediately grew alarmed and rushed towards the young adult, "Goth, watch out! Zak, don't-!"

Before he could beg him not to hurt his brother, Zak managed to turn the club around and swung it horizontally, nailing the shorter carnivore directly on the head.

The young adult took himself by surprise from how hard he had actually hit Throbb, the Vampyrum barely giving a sound as he dropped to the floor with a thud. Except for the solid sound of wood connecting with someone's skull. He didn't stop to check if the larger bat was really out cold, but Goth was definitely still up and alert, albeit nursing the foot that Orestes had bitten. The red haired male let out a yell of pained rage before glaring at the group.

"Go!" Zak shouted, "We need to get out of here!"

Shade and the others didn't need to be told twice. They immediately took off through the enlarged hole in the roof, getting their bearings, before turning to head towards the station. They didn't get far before Orestes suddenly gasped.

"Shade! Is that your colony?" He asked in urgency, he and everyone else spotting what looked like hundreds of small specks heading towards the power station. A look of fearful worry washed over his face in an instant.

"No! They can't land here! If Goth sees them everyone will be in danger!"

"Wait, I might be able to help with that!" The owl quickly replied, "I'll see if I can't scare them away into passing this place! You guys need to try and get away from Goth!" Another enraged cry sounded far below them, the owl catching the view of the Vampyrum himself trying to get out of the roof, "And you'd better hurry!"

"Keep away from the station if you can, Orestes!" Zak called out to the owl, "It's too dangerous for you!"

With a quick nod, Orestes took off towards one of the towers right outside the station's perimeter. The three bats were left on their own to try and figure out a plan.

"What're we gonna do?" Marina, trying to keep as calm as she could, "Goth isn't going to leave us alone that easily!"

Zak frantically thought of various plans and ideas to try and outfox the Vampyrum. But taking their location into consideration, there were very few options. One was to head into the woods and hope that they could outmaneuver him until either the cannibal bat himself grew tired or they did, which would result in their imminent deaths. Option two was to head into the power station. It was gigantic, they had a lot of obstacles to fly through that could slow Goth down. But there was the heavy risk of getting themselves electrocuted if they weren't careful. The Greywing did not like either of those options.

But with Goth tearing away parts of the roof to escape? They had no other choice.

"I've got an idea, but you guys aren't gonna like it." Zak warned them, "We're going to have to fly right into the station. It's the only way we can try and slow him down. But be careful, don't get too close the cables there! Let's go!"

He dove down to gain speed before heading towards the station. Shade and Marina quickly followed, bracing themselves for the fight of their lives. Down below, Goth burst free from the roof and took off after them. Snarling but letting out a sadistic laugh. This was the first time he ever had prey who fought back. For him, this was going to be a hunt worth remembering. For the trio? It was going to be a fight they would never ever forget.

"Where are you going, _muchachos_? All I want is to have you for dinner!"

The taunt sent shivers down Shade's back, and it didn't help that Goth let out another bout of laughter that made the feeling even worse. He, Marina and Zak were in the metallic maze of the power station now, the equally frightening buzzing of the electricity going through the machines didn't help alleviate his fears. For now they were sticking together only for the sake of making sure that one and the other was safe. But it still posed a danger to them all. They banked, weaved, dove and rose through many of the metallic obstacles and paths in their way, but no matter what they tried they just couldn't shake the Vampyrum off their tails.

"This isn't working!" Marina gasped as she swooped underneath a metal beam and banked to her right to avoid another one as she pumped her wings, "If we stick together like this Goth's going to kill all of us!"

"But what're we supposed to do next?! If we're not careful enough flying through this place then the lightning will kill us anyways!" The Silverwing replied, panting hard as his wings burned from the exertion. But he knew Marina was right. They had to think of something else to get the cannibal off of their backs.  
He saw Zak quickly scanning their surroundings, ducking below some piping before rejoining his friends, before his ears perked up.

"We need to split up!" He said, making the other two look at him in confusion, "It's the only way we can draw Goth's attention away from all three of us! I'll lure him away first while you two take separate paths! This place may be big, maybe not enough to get escape from him, but it's still enough to give us some distance!"

"What?! But what if-!" Shade began to protest but the Greywing cut him off.

"Just trust me, Shade! It's our only chance! Go! Now!" Zak then sharply to his left and headed deeper into the power station, but not before calling out to the pursuing Vampyrum, "Hey, Goth! Why settle for little snacks when you can have a more filling meal like me? C'mon!"

Shade and Marina could only watch as the Greywing kept flying, and to their dismay, Goth followed after him. But they kept flying. They needed to. Once they were sure Goth had disappeared, they turned to one another and gave a nod. Making a silent promise to find one another after this was all over. The two bats split up to find their own hiding spots inside the Human structure. When it was their chance, they would come out to distract Goth. But they could only pray that Zak would remain safe and alive.

_'Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit! What the hell was I thinking?! This is Tree Haven all over again!'_

Zak frantically weaved through and ducked under the various piping and support beams of the generators around him. Right behind him, Goth just growled and laughed gleefully as he remained in hot pursuit. He was kicking himself over and over for having put his life at risk yet again. Only this time he was up against somebody who was twice as fast and twice as strong as he was.  
But the Greywing remembered that he would never had even suggested and done the idea in the first place if he didn't care about his friends. No way in hell was he going to let them be eaten by this heartless cannibal.

He just had to keep him distracted and chasing him. What better way then to tease and taunt him?

"Are you serious, Goth? Is that the best you can do? I'm right here! You gotta work for your meal!" He waited for a response, whether that was another round of evil laughter or a snarl of hunger. But there was nothing. Zak quickly and carefully glanced behind him, only to see if Goth was still following him.

But to his confusion and panic, he didn't see anyone. The larger bat had suddenly disappeared. Where did he go? When did he disappear?

The Greywing looked around himself, expecting the Vampyrum to appear anywhere at any given time. While he didn't see anyone, he didn't dare take the risk of being attacked while in the open air. He slowed himself down to a stop, landing onto the bare ground in a crossroad section of four massive generators. He anxiously scanned his surroundings, keeping his eyes peeled and his ears on high alert, waiting for any signs of Goth.

He could hear the quick whoosh of the male's wings. The occasional creak of metal. The high-pitched squeal of something being scratched, like claws on steel. The tingle was ever present, a sign that told Zak that he was in danger. He itched the back of his neck out of reflex, licking his dry lips as he kept looking. It was nerve-wracking trying to find where the Vampyrum would strike from.

All of a sudden the tingle intensified and his mind's eye went into overdrive. Again, like the first time he felt it, his pupils expanded as he froze on the spot.

**_Danger..._**

It was so odd feeling himself grow more aware then he was before. Everything else feeling like it was slowing down around him.

**_Danger..._**

His fur stood on end, the back of his neck tingling like mad and only there. As if his mind was trying to warn him that something was going to hit him there.

**_Danger..._**

His instincts told him to dodge to the right. But why that way? With the owl back near Tree Haven his mind just told him to jump out of the way. No specific direction given.

**_Danger!_**

Suddenly the images started flashing in his mind. He saw Goth, grinning face and all, rushing towards him from the back. He had one of his index claws extended, revealing it's razor-sharp point and swinging it forward.

At the last possible moment, it was like his entire body screamed at him to move as quickly as he could.

Without batting an eye he ducked and threw himself to his right side, just as Goth suddenly leapt at him from behind with his right claw extended. The sharp appendage had missed its intended mark by a mere inch, that being his neck. But not entirely. The Vampyrum's claw dug into his left shoulder, just between there and his elbow, easily cutting the flesh like a hot knife through butter and leaving a nasty gash. It strangely tingled first, but then it had morphed into a fiery crackle of pain as the Greywing grasped at his arm.

He felt a wet warmth seep from between his fingers and down the length of his arm. Gritting his teeth, the young adult had scrambled to his knees and shakily took his hand away from the wound. Blood. His palm was already soaked in it. He didn't dare look but he knew how deep it had to be for it to bleed that much.

"Awww, you moved." Goth whined mockingly, "Here I was hoping to catch you off guard and finish you in one simple strike. A quick death for your sake." Zak just gave a pained glare at the Vampyrum, catching a glimpse of him giving his claw a slow lick. Goth gave a soft noise of delight, no doubt having tasted the small amount of blood from the Greywing's wound.

"Then why don't you just eat me, huh? Finish me off and get it over with!" The young adult grimaced, then winced as his arm throbbed, "What're you waiting for? Do it!"

The Vampyrum smacked his lips daintily before flashing a look towards him. Zak's heart began to race and his look of defiance faltered as larger male moved closer and closer. Stopping only half a step in front of him. Then taking a knee to look much closer. The Greywing forced himself to maintain eye contact, despite the overwhelming urge to look away from the cannibal staring right back at him.  
But the longer he stared the more frightening the moment felt, as if any second now the Vampyrum would suddenly open his jaws and bite down right on his face. But instead, Goth just gave a soft snort and a smirk.

"You're a brave one, I'll give you that. Most of my prey usually show great fear before I eat them. But you? You show very little." The male said thoughtfully, "I think I'll save you for dessert."

Zak blinked, "What?"

"What you said before is true, you do look much more filling then your little friends. But I do love a little chase and having an appetizer before my main course." Goth smiled cruelly before turning around and walking away, "I will say that it's noble of you to try and protect your friends. But I'll find them. And I'll make sure to enjoy their tender young meat before getting back to you. Adios for now!" The large bat cheered before taking off with a powerful flap of his large wings, heading back towards the center of the power station while laughing into the air.

"No! Wait!" The Greywing immediately tried going after him, but the new gash in his shoulder prevented him from going any further as it stung, "Dammit! Goth!"

The curse was both out of reflex from the pain but it was also out of frustrated fear. He didn't have time to nurse the wound. He had to find Shade and Marina before Goth did. If the Vampyrum found them first...he didn't want to think about what grisly fate they'd suffer before being eaten.

_'C'mon, Zak. Fight through the pain. You can do it. Just ignore how much it stings and fly.' _He pushed himself, taking his bloodstained hand away from his shoulder and spreading his wings, _'Fly. Do it now, fly!'_

The gash burned and tingled but he ignored it and took a running start, pumping his wings to gain some air before finally becoming airborne. With the occasional strained grunt, the Greywing started towards where Shade was most likely to be. Marina? He didn't know where she was but he prayed that she was safe and well hidden.

Where was she supposed to hide? There was a lot of activity her ears were picking up, from the thunder crackling in the skies, the flashes of lightning that assaulted her vision, as well as the intense electrical humming she was picking up from the large cables and the odd machines around her. She only knew what they were thanks to Orestes' information from before they arrived. And thanks to Zak's warning before they separated she knew to stay clear of them. He didn't say why they had to avoid them but a feeling in her gut told her that that wouldn't be good for her.  
All she could do was move from one spot to another, constantly looking around herself to make sure neither Goth or Throbb could sneak up on her. So far it seemed to be working. She didn't see any sign of the Vampyrums lurking nearby.

But she swore that she saw the shadow of something flying towards her every time there was a flash of lightning.

Marina was starting to get nervous. Each time she saw these mysterious shadows her heart would race. Her mouth grew dry. But she kept a look out. Maybe she was just seeing things. That had to be it. She just needed to keep moving and lure Goth away when necessary. Orestes must've figured out a way to divert Shade's colony by now.

The Brightwing was about to fly over to a new spot. That was until she felt a large hand grab her by the neck.

She couldn't make a noise from the shock and horror as she was roughly pulled back. Her blood ran cold when the grinning face of Goth met her gaze.

"_Hola, senorita._" He chuckled darkly, "Where are you off to in such a hurry? It's almost time for dinner, is it not?"

Marina could only stutter as she grasped desperately at the bronze band, barely able to get a word out from the intense terror going through her.

"Oh, I ran into your friend just a moment ago! Zak was his name, _ci_? I had a short but lovely chat with him." At this, Marina blinked and shuddered. She caught a peculiar metallic scent on the Vampyrum's hand that grasped her. And on his breath.

"Z-Zak? What did you do to him?" Hearing this, Goth's grin only grew before he lightly laughed.

"He's still alive, don't worry_._ I told him that I would save him for dessert. You and your little friend, Shade, however; are going to be my main meals. But not before I get a chance to...play with you." Marina's fear only grew at those words. Whatever he meant by that, she didn't want to know but was dreading it. The Vampyrum's gaze turned to something else. She could only try to figure out where he was looking, but it clicked when she followed where his eyes were looking.

He was staring at her band.

"You think these bands are something special. Does yours make you feel special, _senorita_?" He asked while delicately taking hold of her banded wrist to look at it more closely, "I wonder...will you still feel special even without it? Why don't we find out, eh?" Marina's eyes widened as she began to struggle desperately.

"Wai-Wait! What're you doing?!" She gasped, her squirming was in vain as Goth's grip around her neck was firm yet not enough to strangle her. No amount of struggling would release her, not even as the larger bat began to bring her wrist closer to his mouth, "No! No, stop!"

"Just hold still, _niña_, this will be over before you know it. Though I can't guarantee that this won't be painless." Goth cruelly grinned as he brought her closer, her left arm being grasped in his teeth.

_'Where's Goth? Not only that, but where's Marina and Zak? I hope they're okay. He couldn't have caught them, did he? No, no, there's no way he found them. At least I hope not. But what if they were caught? And he's just waiting for me to show myself so he can eat me?'_

Shade's mind was going crazy with anxious thoughts. He hadn't moved from his hiding spot ever since he and his friends had chosen to split up, having chosen what was probably one of the smaller electric towers to remain hidden in. He didn't hear the hum of the electric energy Orestes had described so it had to be safe for him to touch. It was also nearby some giant flat beams that kept the machines in place.

All the Silverwing could do was quickly scan about his surroundings, flinch at the occasional flash of lighting from the storm brewing above them, and pray to Nocturna that he wasn't going to get ambushed by the cannibal bat. He finally saw a flash of movement below him, making his heart pound fearfully. But the darker colours of the bat put him at ease almost instantly.

"Zak?" He whispered loud enough for the other male to hear, which he did as the Greywing slowed down and quickly looked around himself, "Zak! Up here!"

Finally he looked up and spotted Shade, an expression of relief washing over his face. The smaller male fluttered down and realized, to his shock, that Zak was nursing a horrible looking cut on his shoulder. Judging from the amount of blood having oozed down his arm and wing membrane, he had to have been cut deep.

"O-Oh gosh, what happened to-?" Shade shuddered out before being interrupted by the other male.

"Nevermind that, I'm okay. Marina, did you see her anywhere? By any chance did you see her?" Zak urgently asked, quickly glancing around themselves. When only an unsure shrug and shake of the head answered him, the Greywing winced and grasped his arm, "I tried to distract Goth, but he left me alone. Shade, he was looking for you guys!"

"Looking for us? Why would he-?" The Silverwing paused, processed the information, and then paled as realization filled his eyes, "Oh no."

Zak only gave short nod and went on to explain to him that they needed to try and find Marina to ensure she was safe. Shade was about to suggest an idea before a piercing sound suddenly assaulted their ears.

A scream.

It was short, lasting for only for two seconds before it had gone quiet. Both males stood frozen, faces filled with shock and fear from what they had just heard.

Was that Marina? Shade shook his head. No, it couldn't have been her. Could it? It just had to be the machines all around them. His ears were picking up a manner of noises. It just had to be his imagination, right? Several more seconds passed as they waited with bated breaths for any sign of movement. Or any sound that didn't belong to the Human machines humming around them.

"Shade. Shade!" Zak's voice got his attention, the older male was staring hard at something above and behind him. When he turned to look himself, the Silverwing's breath hitched in his throat.

Goth was perched on a pipe a few feet above them. His eyes almost seemed to glow, shining brighter when lightning flashed across the sky. He wore an eerie smile on his face as his wings and hair blew in the wind.

"Ah, there you are, _mi amigos_," The large carnivorous male purred deeply, "You know, I have to say, never before in my life have I had to work so hard to catch my meals. You two, plus your Brightwing friend? So much more interesting then most prey I've captured and eaten! I must congratulate you two on the effort! Also, Miss Marina, of course." He added with a mocking grin. Something that held something far more sinister then he was letting on. Shade swallowed before he summoned up whatever courage he still had.

"Where's Marina? What did you do to her?!"

"Shade, wait, we don't know if he actually found her," Zak tried to reason, though he too was dearly hoping the Brightwing hadn't already been discovered, "For all we know he could be trying to mess with us."

The Silverwing felt a slight rush of relief. Maybe his friend was right. Marina still had to be safe somewhere in the station. He was shaken out of his thoughts when Goth chortled heartily.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that! You see, I did find Marina and had a lovely little..._chat _with her." Both Shade and the Greywing blinked at this. But the Silverwing felt a sense of dread wash over him. What did Goth mean? What did he do to her?

"What did you do to her?!" He blurted out, his mind flowing out with his own voice. The Vampyrum only chuckled, only now did Shade notice that he had one hand hidden behind his back.

"Like I said, dear Shade, we had a chat. Although, I did ask her if her band really was special. Unfortunately," He took his hand out and looked at something grasped in it, "It seems like they weren't so special, after all. If they were supposed to be good luck or whatever it was...it didn't work for her."

The Vampyrum threw down whatever he was holding, the object giving a very light metallic clang as it hit the surface of the beam the two northerners stood on. It bounced a couple more times before it stopped and rocked softly where it sat. It had taken Shade a few seconds of studying the object to realize what it was.

Both he and Zak gave a collective gasp when they recognized the shining band. It had been scratched and slightly dented. Like it had been forcibly removed.

The pair noticed a smear of blood along the edge of it.

Shade remained staring at the band. Everything around him had gone quiet as his mind raced. Trying to discern the intruding thoughts that, quite possibly, Marina was indeed dead. Why else would Goth have her band? But he refused to believe that. There was no way she was gone!

He promised her he would introduce her to Frieda. To show her that the bands weren't as bad as she believed them to be. But now...Marina was gone.

Shade clenched his jaw and let out a small yet dangerous sounding growl. At that moment, he had no control over himself as he shot a glare at the Vampyrum. Without even batting an eye he suddenly lunged up towards the larger male. Goth himself wasn't expecting the move as he let out a noise of surprise, even flinching, as the small male instead sailed right by him.

Then quickly looking back and shouting in an angry and hoarse voice.

**"You want me, Goth? Come on! Come and get me!"**

The Vampyrum just glared after him before grinning toothily, "Very well, little amigo. If that is what you wish."

Goth spread his wings, preparing himself to take flight to his intended prey, while Shade quickly turned around to head back towards the more crowded spots of the power station. He needed a complicated flight path in order to slow the Vampyrum down and figure out a way to beat him.

But as he began to plan out his flight path through the metal structures, he suddenly heard Goth give a shout and seemed to be struggling with something. He glanced back and was shocked by the sight behind him.

Goth was wildly turning his body left and right, whipping his head side to side as if trying to look for something that clung to his back. No, not some_thing_. Some_one_. Then he heard that familiar voice shout loud and clear.

**"You mess with my friends, you mess with me!"**

Zak had his arms wrapped around Goth's neck, occasionally but easily ducking from side to side whenever Goth tried to focus on him. He yelled out again to the Silverwing, "Keep flying, Shade! You lead him and I'll try and keep him on track!"

Shade could only give the briefest of smiles before looking back ahead to focus on his flying, trusting the Greywing to do as he said.

It was time to take care of Goth.

"Get off of me, you damned brat!" Goth snarled as they sailed through the station, ducking and weaving by various metal obstacles whenever he could, "Get off!"

Zak didn't say anything as he held on for dear life. That was all he could do as they flew throughout the power station. The Vampyrum pulled off different manuevers to avoid whatever came ahead of him, each time the young adult strained and had to increase his hold to avoid being thrown off. He knew Goth was trying his hardest to do just that, so he had to try just as hard to stay stuck to him like glue.

Needless to say, it was one hell of a ride. It reminded him of the carnival rides that came through his hometown on a yearly basis. Only this was far more intense and terrifying. Goth had chased Shade upwards along one of the larger buildings, the Silverwing pulling off a rather slick move as he let himself go as high as possible before dropping back down, falling right past Goth and Zak. The Vampyrum only growled as he did the same thing, creating a rather dizzying experience for the Greywing as he flipped backwards and spiraled back towards the ground.

The chase continued as both Silverwing and Vampyrum zoomed through various spaces. Whether that was between generators, water pipes, support beams and so on.

Despite all of this he held on, gritting his teeth as he squeezed tighter to ensure he wouldn't be thrown off. That was if his own strength could hold and he didn't just lose his grip from tiring out.

Again, the Vampyrum growled as he flew wildly through the air, "You'd better get off of me, _cabron_! It will only end badly for you and your little Silverwing friend!"

"Not happening!" Zak growled right on back into the other's ear, "You're not going to hurt anymore of my friends! You hear me?!"

It had taken him a moment to realize that Goth wasn't even listening to him, the adult looking ahead as he began to close in on Shade. Despite being right behind his head, the Greywing could sense that the carnivore was opening his jaws to clamp down on the smaller bat's legs.

But, luckily, he was faster. Letting go for the briefest of moments he lifted an arm up into the air, clenching his fist tightly, and brought it down right onto Goth's head. The hit was hard enough to surprise the Vampyrum as he dropped altitude, but no doubt it was pissing him off more and more. The giant bat took his focus away from Shade and began to fly towards one of the large pipes that ran along the safety fence. He angled his body so that the young adult was facing the surface of the pipe itself.

With another powerful pump of his wings, the cannibal prepared to slam the Greywing into it. Forunately, luck was on the young adult's side and grabbed hold of Goth's mane before tugging hard in the opposite direction. He was hoping that maybe it would cause the big guy to perform a flip that would slam him into the pipe instead. But the resulting action worked out much better as it forced him to move away from the piping with a startled grunt.

Goth only responded with a roar of pure anger. A sound made much more terrifying from the thunder and lightning crackling above them.

Zak blinked. Looking and listening to the storm brewing overhead. Then to the towers and generators of the power station. There had to be something around that he and Shade could use to get rid of Goth. Something that would ensure he wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. His eyes scanned his surroundings frantically, knowing that the Silverwing wouldn't be able to keep flying for much longer, before his eyes fell upon the rest of the protective fence ahead of them.

Then the painful sound of metal scraping against metal filled his ears. The Greywing realized that it was Goth's band running along the top of one of the pipes. Scraping hard enough to create sparks. Then he looked back to the fence. There was two wires that ran along the top of it from one corner to the next.

It looked just big enough for someone small to glide through, as long as they avoided the wires. Another bolt of lightning striking the taller towers was a sure sign of what exactly needed to be avoided. The Greywing's brow hardened as he formulated a plan. He only hoped that Shade knew what to do.

"Shade!" He yelled out, the teen quickly and fearfully glancing back at him, before pointing towards the fence, "Over there!"

He knew Goth would see where he was gesturing to, but that was exactly what he wanted. It was dangerous. Risky. Potentially life threatening.

And it was the only idea he had.

Adjusting his position, Zak grasped Goth's mane this time, giving himself a better view and grip as the large bat kept trying to wriggle him off. Only now he wasn't trying as hard as his main focus was on Shade. It wasn't much farther to the fence. The closer they got, the more Zak started thinking of how far he, Shade and Marina had gotten on their journey.

But he thought about Marina more. About how despite her rough exterior she was actually a good person. She was spunky. She had her own style to define herself. And she was looking forward to meeting Frieda. All she wanted was to learn more about her band and what it meant for her and others like her. This Promise, as it was called. She wanted to know if there really was something good about them, instead of what her colony and others had believed. Whether or not they were actually a curse or a blessing.

But Goth had Marina's band. Damaged. Stained with her blood.

Zak's fur bristled and his eyes grew misty. She couldn't be dead. He couldn't accept that.

They were nearing the fence now. There was still something he could do to avenge the Brightwing. He gripped the fur of Goth's mane harder, carefully planting his feet into the Vampyrum's back. Shade was beginning to slow down but he kept up his speed.

"Giving up already, my friends?" Goth cackled loud enough for both smaller males to hear, "What a shame! This was just getting interesting!"

The Greywing didn't say anything, only looking ahead at the fence that was getting close and closer, only a few more wingbeats until they met it. He prepared himself, as did Shade as he picked up speed. The tingle came back yet again, this time giving an immediate picture of what was to come.

He saw a bolt of lightning hitting the fence and charging it up with heavy amounts of electricity.

The natural and powerful energy arcing through the wires along the fence.

Then it was gone. He knew exactly what he needed to do. Right at that moment, lightning struck yet again, hitting the fence further down from where the bats were flying into. Shade had taken a risky route and flew between the two wires, just barely making it in time as the electrical energy traveled along the fence. Goth, however, was going to try and play it safe and fly over it.

But the Greywing wasn't about to let him do it. He tensed up his legs and snarled one last time down at Goth's ear, "This is for Marina, you sonuva bitch!"

Then he kicked as hard as he could, launching himself into the air as the force caused the Vampyrum to dip further downward. What happened next...he wished he didn't have to see nor hear.

While Zak safely cleared the top of the fence, Goth made one last desperate effort to clear the wires the way Shade had done. But his size was his own undoing. He collided with the electrically charged obstacle, his band making first contact, allowing the lethal energy to flow into his body in a concentrated flow.

Goth let out a ragged and agonized scream as the electricity burned and scarred him in mere seconds. Amazingly he was still flying, somewhat, but he slowed down a considerable bit as his body was fried from the wrist up. Zak, having roughly landed on the other side, could only watch and listen to the Vampyrum's violent demise. It had lasted only for a few seconds before Goth's body, with a small explosion from the fence and his band, was sent flying off of it. His now smoking form trailing through the air and into the woods nearby.

The Greywing didn't move. Only looking where the body had landed. He had to be dead. There was no way any living being could survive getting electrocuted by lightning of all things. But his mind was telling him over and over to go and make sure. Forcing himself onto his feet, clutching his shoulder as it throbbed painfully, he slowly made his way to where the smoke was rising from. He didn't have to go too far, thankfully, but the closer he got the more he could smell the horrid stench of burnt fur and flesh.

Fighting the urge to gag, Zak moved in closer to where Goth lay, covering his nose to keep the smell out. But he hesitated when he saw one familiar claw sticking out into the air. And the bronze band that adorned it's wrist, itself now blackened and burned.

Make sure, his mind told him yet again. Just a few steps closer to confirm. Finally, the Greywing laid his eyes upon the corpse sprawled on the ground. He had to turn away for a moment the second he saw the condition Goth was left in. From his banded wrist, a mix of dark and light pink scarring zig-zagged up the Vampyrum's arm and crawled along to the side of his face. It was frozen in an expression of pure agony, and his once pristine fur was badly burned, even his long red hair had nearly been singed off completely.

It didn't look like he was breathing. Zak allowed himself to completely relax and release a breath he had been holding. That was it. Goth was gone.

He could hear small wingbeats coming and then the soft footsteps of someone moving in closer before a horrified gasp forced the Greywing to turn to the source.

Shade was staring at the burned corpse before turning away, taking deep breaths to steady himself. Zak could only step over to the Silverwing and place a hand onto his shoulder to try and comfort him. But he knew this was something neither of them could shake off so easily.

"We didn't have any other choice, Shade," He said softly, kneeling onto the ground as it began to rain, creating a somewhat soothing but somber air around them, "We did it to survive. We did it...did it for Marina."

The teen didn't turn to him right away, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down. But at the mention of Marina the Silverwing immediately turned around and wrapped his arms around Zak's neck, burying his face into his shoulder. He didn't make any other sound except for a muffled sniffle, then a soft whimper. All the Greywing could do was bring a single arm up and held his friend closer, himself beginning to tear up from the reality that...Marina was gone.

Suddenly large wingbeats were coming towards them, frightening the two before they realized that it was Orestes. He too gave a sound from the sight, and the smell, but he kept his distance from the scene.

"Whoa. You did it. You guys did it!" He said, a slight smile forming on his beak, "I've got more good news, the Silverwings diverted their flight path away from the power station. I managed to scare them into changing directions. They're safe, Shade."

There was no response from the teen, though Zak gave a soft nod to show that he had heard the owl. But Orestes didn't seem to understand why the pair look so defeated and sad. Seeing the confusion, the Greywing swallowed and spoke in a soft voice.

"It's Marina," He steadily exhaled, "She...I think we lost her. Goth had her band and...dammit. She's gone, Orestes." The tears finally began to fall despite how calm he was struggling to keep his face. But only more confusion filled the young prince's face.

"But...she isn't gone." He replied, earning a look of sympathy from Zak and a more saddened gaze from Shade when he finally looked up at the owl. Orestes then crouched down ever so slightly, confusing the two males for a moment, before he stood up straight again and stepped aside. Orange wings and bright cream fur met the pair's gaze.

"M-Marina?" Shade whispered, slowly getting up from the Greywing's position as he stared at the female for a few seconds, "You...You're alive."

The Brightwing only gave a small pained smile, nursing her left wrist where her band used to sit before, and chuckled softly, "Of course I'm alive. Did you really think I was-Oof!"

Shade had suddenly rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

"W-We thought you were d-dead." He shuddered, "Goth, he...h-he had your band. It was scratched and w-we saw blood a-a-and we thought that...!"

"You thought he got to me." Marina replied promptly, receiving a nod in return. She gently eased Shade off of her so she could look him in the eye, "He almost did, really. But...that monster. He was making a game out of it. He took off my band and threw me aside, said that the first thing he was going to do was break you both down. He probably thought showing you my band would shock you enough to give up. And from what I can see? Clearly you didn't let him win."

It was Zak's turn as he stood up, walking up to the Brightwing and giving her a very relieved and tired smile, "No. We didn't. We got him. I'm just...I'm just glad to see you're alive, too. I almost believed that he killed you."

"Lucky for all of us, Goth won't be a problem anymore," She said, giving a brief hug to the Greywing out of relief, "I'm just glad to see you guys are still in one piece. Well, mostly in one piece."

The Greywing quickly looked at his shoulder and then to Marina's wrist, "Just a scratch. I'll be fine. At least now it's over."

"It's not over," Shade said somberly, looking at them both with a worried face, "Goth's gone, yeah. But my colony is still in danger. We need to find them before the owls do."

"Are you forgetting that I'm here?" Orestes cut in, "I've seen Goth and Throbb for myself now. If I can get back to General Brutus and relay what just happened here, maybe I can get him to lift the ban on bats. That way not just you guys, but also the Silverwings, can safely fly back to your winter roost with no more worries."

That was true. With his power and influence as prince of the owls, Orestes would no doubt be able to sway the General into finally seeing the truth. That giant bats truly do exist and how much of a danger they can pose. The trio all looked at the owl with a new sense of safety and relief. The Greywing perked up as something else came to mind.

"If you're able to convince him, tell the General to come to the Fire Towers. They'll find Goth's body. That should be proof enough to make him change his mind. Right?" Shade and Marina nodded in unison, as did Orestes. It was set. They finally had proof of their innocence. Maybe now they could finally finish their journey without anymore hitches.

After making sure that they would be okay on their own, Orestes had taken his leave, heading back in the direction of where General Brutus and his soldiers were stationed. The trio of friends had decided to get going as soon as they could, lest they risk running into Throbb and having to try and fight him off next. Despite the constant stinging pain in his shoulder, Zak managed to fly and keep pace with his friends.

Both had shared concern over his wound, but he insisted that he would be okay. His cut might've gotten some dirt in it but he could clean it later. For now, they had to move.

The Silverwings, as close as they had been a little while ago, would have gotten some distance ahead of them. And the Greywing swore to himself that he would get Shade and Marina to them. He was bound to get wounded more, but that was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

Back at the power station, Marina's band remained where it sat. Left there by choice. It's supposed aura of bad luck left behind with it.

Throbb's eyes felt heavy. Not only that, the side of his head ached something fierce. How long had he been out? All he remembered was trying to convince Goth not to eat a young owl. Then there was Shade, Marina and Zak.

The young ones! Were they alright? Where were they? Goth didn't kill them, did he?

The chubby Vampyrum looked around the shed and was surprised to find that he was alone. A storm happening right outside as a gentle rain shower tapped against the roof.

_'Where did everyone go?'_ Throbb wondered to himself, hissing from the pain in his head as he stood up, _'Did they go outside?'_

Taking careful steps he spread his wings and flew up towards the hole in the roof. He gave a shiver as the cold and wet air greeted him, already soaking into his fur as he took another look around. There was no sign of the three bats and the owl. But still no sign of Goth, either. Growing concerned he looked towards the Fire Towers, wondering if his brother was in there. But before he could make his way towards there his nose caught something.

A rather peculiar scent. And an unpleasant one, at that. His snout wrinkled from the odd stench, unable to place what it was. But he carefully sniffed the air to try and track its source. Nose twitching and nostrils flaring as he hovered on the spot. It was coming from the treeline outside of the towers. Throbb thought he could see the remains of smoke wafting from there.

Curiously he flew over to where the scent was coming from. It only got stronger the closer he got, but as he did there was something familiar about it. Landing nearby where he could smell the source, Throbb carefully crawled along the ground, feeling afraid of what he was going to find. He didn't know why. But with Goth's scent coming from the small ditch? He felt he had a right to be worried. Reaching the edge of the small shallow pit he peeked over.

His heart dropped. It was indeed Goth. But...he could just barely recognize him. His fur was burnt. He was badly scarred. What in Zotz name had happened to him?

"Goth? Goth!" Throbb gasped, frantically stepping down into the pit as he checked over his sibling, "Goth, what-? What happened?! G-Goth?"

He didn't receive any response from the larger male, "Ar-Are you alright? Hey. Hey!"

The more he stared at him, the more the shorter male began to realize something. He wasn't moving. He held a hand up to Goth's mouth and waited to feel the wind of his breath blowing against his open palm.

Nothing.

Throbb's eyes widened. His body stiffened. Horrible realization flooded into him as he stared at the disfigured body of his half sibling. His hands shot up to his mouth as a grief-stricken sound left his lips. Tears immediately began to well up in his eyes. It didn't take long for them to start flowing down his cheeks as his face turned into one of heart-wrenching loss.

_'No. No! Please, Zotz, no! Not like this!'_ His mind screamed as he began to sob, reaching one hand to Goth's lifeless form but retreating, _'He can't be dead! How can he die?! We were supposed to go home together! We were supposed to survive together!'_

Despite how harshly he had been treated by the taller Vampyrum, Throbb couldn't stop the good memories they shared together when they were pups. His first meeting with Niko and Goth. The many adventures they would pretend to have around their majestic pyramid home. A young Goth telling Throbb that he liked having another brother around, even though their parents weren't married. Then they got married a year after that. Even after his attitude and personality had suddenly changed, Niko was confident that Goth was just going through a phase and didn't mean anything that he said or did.

But what really broke Throbb was a promise he was asked to keep. A promise Niko himself had asked him on the day they were captured.

**_"Look, I know Goth has become a little more...abrasive, these past few years. But please, Throbb, he's my little brother. _****Your ****_little brother, too. You're older then him by a year or two, right? All I'm asking is that you look after him while you're out hunting. These jungles can be a dangerous place if you're not careful, regardless if we Vampyrum are strong fighters and fast flyers. You be careful, too, _****hermano**_**. I want you and Goth to be safe. I can't always be there physically but always know that I'll always be with you spiritually. No matter how near or far you two are. Promise me you'll keep Goth safe? That you'll remain by his side no matter what? Things will get better soon. I can promise you that."**_

**_"Alright, _****hermano mayor*****_. I promise. We'll see you at sundown."_**

"Niko...N-Niko...," Throbb whimpered, looking at Goth's body before placing his hands onto his still chest, "I'm sorry, Niko! I-I'm so...so sorry! I...I couldn't keep my promise! I-I couldn't...I couldn't keep him s-safe! Forgive me! Oh Zotz, please forgive me!"

All he could do was cry. Wracked with guilt for failing to protect his family. Failing both his brothers. What was he going to do? How could he go on without bringing Goth home?

What was he going to tell Niko and their parents?

He didn't know what to do.

He was alone

* * *

***Throbb is saying 'big brother' in Spanish**

**And here's part two! Took a little bit more work in this one due to the action scenes, was worried if I was doing too much or too little, but in the end I felt good and proud with it.**

**The next chapter will be delving into more of Zak's past and how he got to where he is now, in terms of why he was wandering the woods alone in the first place. The biggest hint being the argument with his parents mentioned a few times in previous chapters.**

**Hope you guys enjoy the read!**


	13. New Tricks & Memories

**Chapter 10: New Tricks & Memories**

* * *

**Two hours after the death of Goth...**

* * *

He and his squadron had been searching the farthest perimeters of their current headquarters. But no matter how far or hard they searched, they couldn't find any sign of Orestes. Atlas sighed fitfully, wondering where exactly the young prince would have gone with the three prisoners. It was already bad enough that the guard watching them had left his post. But what was worse was the implications behind the escape.

The lieutenant could only think of one plausible theory when General Brutus had asked him and the guard what had happened after the cell was found empty. The General found it too hard to believe that Orestes had willingly let the prisoners out before leaving with them. His theory? Orestes was tricked and then kidnapped by the bats. But Atlas was kicking himself for even thinking such a thing. How could three small northern bats kidnap an owl? It was too farfetched an idea but it was the only thing he could think of so they could begin searching for the prince as soon as possible.

And so, here he was, searching the outermost perimeter to the south, heading towards the power station. Was it possible that the prisoners had taken Orestes there? If so, the only thing to consider was whether or not he was even still alive. As much as he doubted the bats were strong enough to kill birds, Atlas still partially believed that they were a danger.

"Atlas." He suddenly heard someone whisper his name. Was it one of his soldiers? Why would they be here? They should've been searching elsewhere. He looked around but couldn't see anyone. Maybe he was just hearing things.

"Lieutenant Atlas!" His name was spoken again. Now the adult owl was on high alert. And he recognized the voice.

"Wha'? Prince Orestes? Is that you? Where are you?"

"Over here," Following the source Atlas finally spotted the orange feathers atop of the young prince's head, peering out from behind a tree, "Are you alone?"

"My prince! I mean, Orestes, sorry; but what do you mean? Yes, I'm alone, but my soldiers are searching the rest of the perimeter for you! What's going on? Are you okay? The prisoners didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Hey, hey, just slow down." Orestes gently hushed him, "Yes, I'm okay. And no, they didn't hurt me. Look, before I tell you this, can you promise me that you won't freak out?" Atlas just gave a confused shrug of his shoulders.

"Okay, good enough. Uh, okay, this is going to sound kind of crazy, but...the prisoners didn't escape by themselves. They didn't kidnap me. And they didn't trick me. It was...actually...me. That let them out. Out of my own free will."

_"What?!" _Atlas immediately squawked in pure shock, "You knowingly let them go?!"

"Hey, you said you wouldn't freak out! Just hear me out! Please? Look, I know what General Brutus said about these three bats being fugitives because they supposedly killed some pigeons and owls. That's what he said, right? But see, how can it be possible? They're too small!"

Briefly getting over the shock of what was admitted to him, Atlas blinked and stammered, "W-Well, the General said th-that they may be small b-but together they could-!"

"Even together the worst they could do is give minor injuries to a bird! Especially an owl!" Orestes immediately cut him off, "But think about it. And I mean _really_ think about it! How can he be so sure that those three had done it? You've seen the bodies, haven't you? Shade, Marina and Zak told me themselves. Giant cannibal bats are responsible for the killings. Not them."

"But, Orestes, as much as I want to believe you, how can you be so sure that giant bats really do exist? And where are the prisoners? Are they with you?"

"No, they're not with me. I'm not about to let three innocent bats be punished for something they didn't do," Atlas made to try and correct him but was cut off again, this time with a more firm and confident tone, "Because it's the right thing to do to let them free. I don't care how much trouble I get into, I'm not going to stand by and let three bats my age be killed. And I know Brutus will be just as upset. But please, believe me, these giant bats are real. Tell the General that he can find his evidence at the Human's power station. The real perpetrator is dead and his body will still be there. I've seen them for myself to know that the northerners are innocent."

Atlas didn't have a retort to that. It amazed him that the prince would take action so readily, even if it meant risking his reputation as King Boreal's heir, but it surprised him even more to know that he had a run-in with the ones truly responsible for the killings. But what he couldn't wrap his head around was why it sounded like he wasn't going to tell Brutus himself.

"What're you going to do?" He asked, looking at the prince with worry, "Are you not coming back? If you just came along and explained everything to the General, I'm sure he'd listen."

"Don't you think I've tried that before?" Orestes sighed, "He wouldn't listen. He's obsessed with starting a war with the bats! Plus, even if I did go back, what's stopping him from throwing me in a cell as punishment for letting his prisoners go free? So, no, I'm not going back to the General. But let him know that I'm safe and will return as soon as I'm able to."

That wouldn't exactly make things any easier, Atlas thought, but he resigned and nodded in understanding. He watched as Orestes took flight back to the south, no doubt to try and catch up to where the three fugitives had gone. As much as he thought it was wrong to think of them as criminals after what he had learned, the lieutenant still had doubts about what the prince had told him and whether or not it was actually true. But, he was the prince, son of King Boreal. He had to trust him.

He could only hope that General Brutus would listen and find the evidence leading to the three bats innocence. With no need to stay around the area for any longer, Atlas took to the air and prepared to find the rest of his squadron. He had to deliver the news as soon as possible.

* * *

**Another hour later, back with the trio...**

* * *

Three hours had gone by since they had left the power station and since Orestes had gone to alert the owls of the truth. But it felt like it had been much longer after what had happened. Shade was leading the group as he scanned his surroundings and listened intently for any traces of his colony. He couldn't hear anything other then the gentle flapping of his own wings, Marina and Zak's behind him.

"Any sign of your colony?" Marina suddenly spoke up.

He just shook his head with a sigh, "Not even an echo. But they can't be too far ahead of us, Orestes saw them right outside of the fire towers."

"We might get lucky," Zak gave a tired chuckle, "Maybe we'll run into them sooner then we think. That would be nice. Being back amongst familiar faces, even though I've only known everyone for a night or two at most."

Shade quickly glanced back at the Greywing, immediately picking up on how the older male was wincing each time he pumped his wings. The cut on his arm had stopped bleeding but it was clear that it was slightly opening up again due to the flight. Although he insisted he was okay, the condition of his wound still worried the teenager.

"Why don't we have a rest? Besides, your arm is still hurting, right? And your wrist, Marina?" He asked, looking from one to the other. There was no immediate response but the other two followed the Silverwing's lead as he picked a random tree branch to perch on.

"I don't mind flying on," Marina perked up before rubbing at her wrist, itself covered with a leaf to keep the wound covered, "Besides, my wrist doesn't hurt as much as it did before. I'm not sure about Zak, though."

The Greywing was taking slow breaths, mostly out of exertion from the non-stop three hour flight, "Really, you guys, I'm fine. It stings, yeah, but I'm still able to keep going."

"Zak, my colony will be stopping to roost soon. At least they should be. Daylight will be in a couple of hours now," Shade glanced at the horizon, noting the slightly brighter sky beginning to emerge, "And we won't be as far behind them as before. You need to rest too, don't you?"

He could see that the Greywing was about to protest, but a visible wince crossing his face told both him and Marina that his wound hurt far more then he was letting on. He hadn't even cleaned it or put any herbal medicine on it yet. But the young adult answered back with a nod and sigh.

"You're right. We should rest for the day. After all, we just beat Goth. And I don't think Throbb will be much trouble, either." He smiled lightly at the two of them, encouraging them to smile as well.

"Yeah, we don't have to worry about him anymore! Oh, you're going to love the Silverwings, Marina!" Shade began with a genuine smile of his own, roosting alongside his friends as they did the same, "There's my mom, Mercury, he's a really great guy when you get to know him! Then there's my brothers Bartho and Ben, they're amazing too! But you're going to love Frieda even more!"

"I was just about to ask about her." Marina giggled.

For the next few minutes Shade described what life was like in the Silverwing colony. Talking about his family and how they'd welcome her in a heartbeat. But as he was getting into the details about his brothers, both he and Zak noticed that Marina had gone quiet. Quieter than usual. She was staring intently at her left wrist, feeling over the now exposed fur and skin.

"Marina? Are...you okay?" Shade asked softly, only earning a brief shrug from the Brightwing. But she took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Sorry, Shade. I didn't mean to space out on you. I'm just...still getting used to the fact that my band's gone." Her voice was soft and contemplating, "Can you believe that I had gotten used to it? After only having it for three months? Sometimes I'd forget it was there, even if it did itch and chafe like crazy at times. But mostly it reminded me of what I lost. My family. My friends. My whole colony. Banished from them all just because they were superstitious."

She frowned lightly. Both Shade and Zak only listened as she talked her feelings out, patiently waiting for her to finish.

"But now that it's gone? I feel...I don't know. I feel...free. Like I don't have to worry about being judged and scaring anyone just for being banded. I was thinking, maybe after this is all over," She paused, as if carefully considering her next words, her lips curling inward for a moment, "Maybe...I could try going back to my colony. They might let me back in. Wouldn't they?"

It was a stretch, at best. Perhaps the Brightwings would indeed accept Marina back. But at worst? They'd still turn her away, regardless. They might say that she was already tainted by the band and even if it was gone she would still have bad luck around her. She'd still be exiled. Both males mulled over her words and tried to figure out what to say.

Zak was the one who broke the silence first, "But do you _really_ want to go back there? I mean, are you sure?"

"Well, I have to go somewhere after I meet with Frieda. Right? I mean...I don't think the Silverwings need a Brightwing."

"No," Shade suddenly interjected, "You don't have to go back to the Brightwings, you can stay with us! I mean, your colony has to live pretty far from us, right? I don't want you to have to fly all the way back to them. Also...wouldn't you rather stay with us after what happened? But only if you're okay with that, but I hope you'll consider it."

Marina seemed to think over Shade's words, not saying a word as she looked over her arm. After a few seconds had gone by she smiled softly.

"You know what, Shade? I'll take you up on that offer. We've gotten this far, right? We're closer to your colony then ever before." She chuckled, before giving her arms and back a stretch, "And besides, thinking back on it now? My colony can stick it where the sun don't shine. I mean, of course I'm still going to miss my family. But the elders and everyone else? Forget them. Besides, you guys have been the best company I've had in years. Much better then they were."

"Heh, well, we're happy to be able to entertain you, Marina." Zak dipped his head courteously in a joking manner, earning a laugh from both the teens. With the dawn arriving it was time for them to get the rest that they needed. After all the excitement from the Fire Towers, the three of them were tired and sore.

Shade felt relieved that now they didn't need to worry about Goth. With the Vampyrum dead it would be an easy flight from here on out.

Or so he had initially thought.

When night had arrived Zak had woken up at the crack of dusk to try and find herbs for his wound. He had washed out the gash with leftover rain water from a puddle first before looking for anything to cover the wound. All he found were the berries that could numb the pain, Shade and Marina noticing the look of relief wash over the Greywing's face when he squeezed the juice onto it. They helped in finding some clean leaves to cover it up, but the Silverwing suggested that they should at least try and look for anything that would keep it clean until it healed properly.

But, yet again, Zak insisted that he would be okay until they reached his colony.

So they kept flying. Only stopping to hunt when it was necessary and to hide if an owl patrol was nearby. Shade would call up the sound map again to make sure they were heading in the right direction and they would follow it. Hours went by in a near blur, only thanks to his and Marina's natural curiousity for Zak's human life before he had become a bat.

"So, not that I didn't already know this before, since you guys don't hibernate you just keep going through the winter?" Marina asked while glancing at the other male every few seconds.

"Hah, I wish! Wouldn't that be nice to be able to sleep through the cold and snow. But, no, we don't. Most of the time we're usually busy with work, school and other things. Humans tend to be workaholics."

"Worka...what now?" The female tilted her ears curiously, as did Shade.

"And what's school, exactly? Like a school of fish?"

"Workaholic is a word we use to describe someone who's obsessed with working. A good example would be, say, if you're going to carve out a new Tree Haven from a brand new tree. While other bats may take breaks to get some rest and energy back to keep on working, there'd be that one bat who will keep going and will only rest unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, workaholic. And yes but also no, a school in my world isn't related to fish. Though we do use that word, too, to describe a group of fish. A school is a place where we humans go to learn various lessons that are supposed to help us later on in life. It's...actually kind of boring. But it's needed in order for us to be able to find our place in the world and where we want to go and work. Basically, figuring out what we want to do with our lives."

Both Shade and Marina shared a sound of genuine interest at the explanation. Truth be told, as much as they didn't really have any need to learn about the Humans, hearing it from their friend was a totally different experience entirely. He made it sound far more interesting considering that he was once a Human himself and had far better understanding of them.

"So did you ever figure out what you wanted to do?" Shade curiously glanced back, but was met with silence, "Uhh, Zak?"

"No. No, sorry, I was just thinking. No. I never...I never figured it out yet. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I'm sorry but I don't really want to talk about it. Can you guys ask me something else?"

That answer surprised the other two. Why didn't he want to talk about his life? They only knew the smallest details that he gave before. Surely he would further talk about how and why he was here. But Shade shrugged it off and kept flying. But they kept busy asking the Greywing more questions as they flew.

Such as what the Humans moving machines were called. They learned that there was actually a wide range of different names for different variations. Trucks, cars, SUV's, semi's and smart cars. What was so smart about them, Marina had wondered aloud. The name itself was very odd to her.

What were the flying machines called, which Zak had responded that they were called planes. Another means of transportation for Humans if their cars weren't enough to get to where they were going, as there were parts of the world only accessible by air. Both teens wondered if there were any other bats on the other side of world, and they shared in the amazement when the Greywing told them that, indeed, other species of bats existed. It was just a matter of finding them.

Boats. That was another thing that really amazed both Shade and Marina. Vehicles that could traverse the waters and even the open ocean? And there were varying sizes for them as well? Both of them had asked if he had ever been on a boat in his life. Zak had said no and that he never really thought about travelling by boat.

But during their flight, going into five hours now, the pair began to notice something off with their friend. He was acting a bit more sluggish in his flight, and it seemed like he was struggling to keep his eyes open. Marina gazed worriedly at the older male before she broke the sudden silence.

"Zak? You doing okay? You're not looking too good." The the Greywing gave a quick shake of his head, blinking hard before he answered her in a tired voice.

"Hm? Y-Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just...I'm just feeling a little tired. That's all." He seemed slightly paler then usual, "I need to...need to rest for a minute...just g-gotta-"

He suddenly began to drastically dip through the air, losing altitude the more he flapped his wings in a ragged fashion. Almost as if he was fighting to try and keep flying straight.

**"Zak!" **Both bats called out in alarm, quickly flying after the descending male to try and catch him. Shade tried first, grabbing hold of Zak's mane to try and slow him down. He could only hold on for a few seconds before the weight was too much for him before Marina took over, flapping her wings with all her strength.

"Zak, hey! Slow down! Shoot!" But her foot claws slipped from her grip, the Greywing dropping a short distance, lazily flapping his wings once more so that he slowed his own descent for one last second.

Before harshly crashing into the ground. He didn't fall very far, thankfully, but the landing didn't look pleasant as he slid along the ground a few inches before stopping.

"Zak! Zak!" Shade yelped, landing on the male left side while Marina landed on the other, "Hey! Zak, are you okay?! Tell us something! What's the matter?!" The Greywing only responded with a weak groan. He didn't even open his eyes. He looked down at the leaf covering the cut on the other male's arm. By instinct he immediately went to check if it was something with the wound. But the second he touched it he noticed how it was damp. Almost wet, even. Slightly warm but rapidly cooling once it was off. Shade dropped it with a gasp. His fingers came back stained with dark red.

"He's bleeding again!"

"What? He said he was fine!" Marina was looking alarmed now, scooting over next to Shade to get a look at the wound, first seeing the discarded and dampened leaf, before looking upon the now freshly bleeding cut, "Wha-? I don't...why would try and hide this from us? He was bleeding this whole time and he didn't say anything?!"

"What're we supposed to do?" Shade was beginning to panic, "What're we gonna do?! Where do the herbs that Zephyr used even grow?! How are we going to find them?!"

"Shade, breathe, just let me think for a minute! Um, uh, I think Zephyr said that they mostly grew in forest areas. We just need to find the right ones that will make the healing poultice that he used on your wing-!"

"But I didn't listen when he explained how it was made! I was obsessed with echo projections and-!" Shade growled and rubbed his hands into his hair in irritation, "I'm so stupid!"

"Shade, stop freaking out and relax! I listened so I know what to look for! But we need to look fast _and_ we need to figure out where we're supposed to hide Zak, we can't just leave him out in the open! Hey! Pulling at your hair isn't going to make things any better! You're only stressing yourself out and you're stressing me out! Chill!"

But Shade couldn't calm down. Zak was obviously suffering from his wound. Why would he hide it? Why? It reminded him of the times he had asked his mother if she was alright, if he had gotten in trouble for something, the response he'd get was that she was fine. But he had a feeling that things weren't fine. Like she was hiding how she really felt.

Then he started thinking back to when they first met Goth and Throbb back in the city. How he was so foolish and instantly trusted the two giant bats. If he hadn't been so trusting and followed Zak's advice maybe none of this would've happened. They never would've known that the two were cannibals. They never would've been travelling with cannibals to begin with. Zak wouldn't have been injured trying to help them.

Now he was laying on the ground, passed out, and bleeding from a serious wound that he tried to hide for their sake.

Before he knew it, tears were beginning to well up and run down his cheeks. Shade just couldn't stop them as he held his head. Roughly scratching his scalp as he began to think it was his fault. His own fault that they were in this situation.

"Shade. Shade!" Marina grabbed his shoulder and gave it a gentle shake, "It'll be okay. I'll see if I can find any herbs around but, right now, I need your help in moving him. Okay?"

He needed a moment to dry his eyes, trying his best to calm down before nodding at her. Turning the Greywing onto his side, onto his uninjured shoulder first and then onto his back, the pair worked together in trying to move him. He was somewhat heavy but not heavy enough that they couldn't move him. They found what looked like an abandoned mouse den, a perfect place to keep Zak hidden while they figured out how to help him.

They had managed to get their friend inside, using whatever leaves that were lying around to cover him up and keep him warm.

"Alright, I need you to do something for me, Shade," She said to the Silverwing in a level voice, "I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Zak, alright? I'd need your help looking for herbs but I don't want to leave him alone in here. Who knows who or what might find him if we're both gone. Can you do that?"

Shade didn't verbally answer but he nodded anxiously, glancing at the unconcious Greywing once more. Marina stepped over and rolled up a leaf so that it made a sort of bandage pad, pressing it against Zak's wound.

"Just make sure he isn't bleeding anymore, try and keep it clean, and I'll be back as soon as I find what we need. He'll be okay, Shade. You'll see." With that, the Brightwing crawled out of the den, the sound of her wings beating the air as Shade remained behind.

All he could do was sit there in silence. He just did as Marina had asked, checking the wound and making sure it still wasn't oozing blood. But each time he glimpsed it, seeing the mix of dark red and a more pinkish colour, very likely the flesh itself; it nearly made the teen gag. But he fought the urge and kept with his task. He kept pressure, checked the state of the cut and swapped the leaves if they were becoming too bloodied to use.

Despite what Marina had told him, about Zak pulling through, the Silverwing still had fearful doubts. The Greywing had passed out and wasn't waking up, for Nocturna's sake, was he really going to be okay? Would he even wake up? He never seen anyone like this before. Passed out cold from an injury. Shade sniffed, quickly wiping at his eyes again while looking from his friend and out the entrance to the woods.

"M-Maybe, maybe, maybe she's right," He stuttered slightly, "You'll be okay, right, Zak? You have to be. We got this far. It won't be the same if you're not here. I...I don't want you to die. You'll heal up and then...a-and then we can keep going to Hibernaculum. We can see my family again. You, me, and Marina. We'll make it. You'll see!"

This time, Shade didn't bother to wipe away the fresh tears dripping from his eyes. He bit his lip as the fears didn't alleviate, pressing his palms against the Greywing's wound more. He prayed to Nocturna, if she was even really listening, to help their friend to pull through. That's all he was asking for. A miracle.

He really needed one at this very moment.

* * *

Everything had suddenly gone dark. One moment he was talking to Shade and Marina. And then the next everything went blurry. He could sort of hear them but his hearing had somehow become muffled.

_'What the hell happened to me?'_

**"You've suffered minor blood loss. You passed out and are currently recuperating for the time being." **A female's voice had answered, catching the Greywing off-guard but not putting him in unease. He thought that, perhaps, it was simply the voice of his conscience.

_'Oh. I see. Well, thank you, conscience. I guess I can take the chance to rest while I can. It feels...kinda nice.'_

Zak began to settle down. Even though the dark was a little unsettling, it felt good to catch his breath and get a little bit of proper sleep.

His inner voice suddenly gasped.

_'Bloodloss?! Wait, did I die?! Am I dead?! Oh god, is this the afterlife, did this trip finally kill me?!'_

**"Be calm, my child, you are not dead. I never said that. I merely said you were recuperating. You are still alive."**

It had taken the Greywing a moment to calm down, still unnerved by the fact that he had actually passed out. Then he remembered the gash he had gotten on his shoulder.

_'Damn. Right. Because I was hurt. A lot worse then I thought. I mean, yeah, it looked nasty but I thought I would be fine. Goes to show how much I know. If only I knew more about being a bat, maybe things would be a little easier. Wait, hang on, _are_ you my conscience? I don't remember it ever sounding so...feminine.'_

He wasn't sure how the little voice in his head was supposed to sound, whether more like himself or someone else that his mind would make up for him. But as he processed and thought about the voice more the realization dawned on him like a cool breeze had blown against him.

_'Wait. Nocturna? But...how? How are you speaking to me? Isn't it against the rules to speak to mortals? I haven't heard from you in awhile.'_

**"It does go against our ways to interfere with non-celestial affairs, yes. But speaking to you and giving you advice is another matter entirely, so long as you are the only one who can hear us."** The voice, Nocturna, said in a confident tone, **"It seems I chose the correct time to speak to you. But, one moment, I think a more appropriate atmosphere is needed. Do not be alarmed."**

_'Alarmed by wha-'_

In a literal blink of an eye the darkness was suddenly gone. Replaced by a stark white scenery. For one thing, Zak was glad that he could actually see himself now, glancing over his familiar clawed and furred hands, feet and body. But the second and most prominent question was whether or not he was still in his own mind or if Nocturna had brought his whole consciousness into some sort of temporary dimension of her own.

"Uh," He looked around cautiously, "Hello? Nocturna? You still with me or...?"

"I'm still here." Her voice came from behind, startling him before whipping around to look at her. He was expecting to see some sort of celestial being towering over him, to show her unequaled power. But to his surprise he was looking upon an average sized bat, but several inches taller then him, wearing some sort of hood and scarf combination.

He couldn't quite see her face, only the front most part of her muzzle.

"Okay," He replied softly, "Can't say I wasn't expecting to actually see you. But, also, not totally what I expected. Honestly."

"This is just a temporary form I can take if I ever needed to blend in with your world. More specifically, the animal world," Nocturna gestured to her body, "I believed it to be more appropriate then my true form. I didn't want to frighten or overwhelm you. Not many mortals can handle nor process the splendor of a celestial being."

"Oh. Well, I appreciate it, thanks. Not sure if I'd be able to handle what you'd really look like. No offense! I mean, you're Nocturna, goddess of the night from what others have told me!"

"Like what Zephyr told you as you revealed the truth to him?" Zak paused, his brow furrowing at the mention of that particular conversation, prompting the goddess to quickly add, "While we do not meddle in the paths fate has made for you, we do keep watch over what goes on in this world. Such as me keeping an eye on you on occasion. That was very brave of you to admit the truth to Zephyr after he discovered your real identity. Anyone else in your place might have denied it and lied to keep it hidden. But you, Zak, you didn't lie. You were truthful. And you told your new friends, as well."

He couldn't deny it, but the Greywing was amazed that Nocturna and whoever else existed in the celestial world were able to see what was going on. But hearing her praise him for being honest to Shade and Marina was a whole other feeling entirely.

"Ah, well, I-I thought that...we were going to die, honestly. I figured if that's what was going to happen I should at least tell them the truth about me. They deserved to know it, even though they listened in on what was _supposed_ to be a private conversation."

"It's only natural for younger bats to be curious," There was a smile in Nocturna's tone, "But, please forgive me, there was something else I wanted to discuss. I heard your thoughts on wanting to learn know more about being a bat. If I may be honest, I'm amazed you've made it so far already with limited knowledge on your new body's abilities."

Zak shrugged softly, "I'm just as surprised as you are. I know how to fly, which is awesome. I can see echo projections if I focus my hearing enough but it's still sort of tricky to get used to. My new night vision is amazing, not gonna lie. But I don't even know how to use my echolocation. I'd ask Shade and Marina, but...how long would it take for a human to learn how to do something that comes naturally to all bats? Did I mention I get a nosebleed when trying to call up a sound map?"

For a moment, both he and Nocturna were silent, himself mulling over the fact that there was still a lot for him to learn if he wanted to survive. And how long it would take for him to learn more of his dormant abilities he did not know. If he and the others survived long enough, that was another thing to factor in.

Nocturna came forward and rested a hand onto Zak's shoulder, surprising the young adult into looking up at her face.

"The journey you will have to figure out for yourselves, as you've always done since the moment you and Shade were separated from his colony. But there's no rule about helping someone in discovering just how special it is to be a bat. Human or not." Her voice was filled with a comforting warmth as she looked down at him, before lifting a hand up to his left arm and giving it a very light touch, a streak of light emanating from the spot before it vanished, "Same goes for healing wounds that would normally take days or weeks to fully heal. It won't go away completely but it will leave a rather nice scar for you to tell stories about."

"Wait," Zak's eyes widened as he touched where Nocturna's finger had, "You mean you...?"

"Yes. Now, this may be a little jarring at first, but trust me when I say that you will have the necessary knowledge to survive and thrive in your new world. It all comes down to you practicing them yourself, but some of it should come to you naturally."

The Greywing couldn't help himself but to be excited and amazed at the prospect of getting a one-touch healing from the goddess of the night herself. He was about to tell her how amazing it was to be able to truly interact with her ever since he first heard her voice, only to see she had her finger pointed right at his forehead, "Wait, what're you-?"

"We will speak again soon. One more thing, it's good to share your past with your friends. Even if it's difficult to talk about."

Nocturna gave the most gentle of taps. In an instant a flood of imagery and information poured into him. The feeling was unlike what he had felt when the sound map was given to him. There was no sound but he was seeing and _feeling_ things. He saw a bat flying through total darkness, but they were firing off bursts of sound, illuminating whatever obstacles were ahead of them. No, not illuminating, but _hearing_ them. He saw another bat, looking as if they were taking a breath and then sharply exhaling, sending out a small wave of sound ahead of them. And like a radar, the sound waves bounced off of an insect, making them stand out much more then what the naked eye normally saw; giving the bat a clear sightline of their prey.

He awoke with a gasp, sitting up straight as he frantically looked around himself. The Greywing saw nothing but smoothed dirt walls, what looked like bits of root poking out from various areas and then a passage leading outside. Did Shade and Marina bring him in here after he passed out?

_'Shade! Marina! Are they okay?'_ Zak thought fretfully, realizing how scared had to have been when he passed out. Throwing off the leaves covering his legs he made to get up, wanting to find the two bats to make sure they were alright. As he made to turn he only then realized that Shade was sitting there beside him, staring at him with slightly reddened and moist eyes. The look on his face was a mixture of surprise, shock and total relief.

"Shade, there you are," The young adult sighed, "Are you okay? How long was I out for?"

The Silverwing blinked, his brow wrinkling before wiping at his eyes and exhaling sharply, "What about _you_? You're the one that was bleeding! You passed out on us, almost fell out of the sky because of your wound, and you weren't waking up! Why are you asking if _I'm_ okay?!"

Zak nearly jumped at the teen's tone, not expecting such a sharp and an emotional response. Though he did expect Shade to jump at him and hug him, but the smaller bat stayed where he was, drying his eyes and sniffling as he calmed down.

"I'm sorry, Shade, it's just that...it had to be scary with what happened. I just wanted to make sure you and Marina are fine."

"Oh, you think?" Shade chuckled tiredly, looking back up at the Greywing, "I'm just glad to see you're awake and alright. But...it's weird, too."

Zak tilted his head at that. What did he mean by that? Sensing his curiousity, the Silverwing moved over to his injured shoulder and pointed to it.

"I was trying to slow down the bleeding while Marina was out looking for herbs. I was changing the leaf when I looked at your cut again and...it suddenly started to close on its own. I swear I thought I was dreaming at first, but, then I realized...Nocturna helped you. She really helped you! Like how she turned you into a bat! I was praying and wishing to her to help you because I was scared of losing you and she helped you! Look, look, she really did!"

Zak turned to his arm to get a look at it himself, and just like Shade had said, his cut was gone. No longer bleeding, no longer ugly and gross-looking, now it was just a smooth dark pink scar. He couldn't help but think that it was a great coincidence that Nocturna came to him again at this moment. Maybe it was just pure luck that she arrived to talk to him right at the same moment the Silverwing was doing his prayer.

Or perhaps, she did hear him and used that as an opportunity to talk to him? Zak wasn't too sure. But he knew one thing, he was definitely grateful to have been saved the way he did. He smiled and gratefully patted his friend's shoulder.

"I'm not gonna lie, Shade, if it hadn't been for your prayer? I'd likely still be lying here passed out. I don't know if it's just luck on my side or not, but Nocturna did help me," He said, grinning from Shade's brightening face when he mentioned that, "She healed me, just like you were praying for. So I both you and her to thank for that. Truly, Shade, thank you."

The Silverwing just gave a happy sigh, clearly feeling much better then he did before.

"But that's not all. She helped me with something that was bothering me for awhile, ever since I first became a bat. Learning the rest of what my new body can do." He slowly explained, wanting to make sure Shade understood what he was talking about, "I can listen for echo projections now, but using echolocation like you guys do? I had no idea how to do that."

"But you sound like it was something you didn't know before but, somehow, now you do," Shade replied curiously, "What're you trying to say? That Nocturna _gave_ you what you needed to know? Is that even possible?"

"It all came in a rush, so there's some things I need to sift through and think about more, but yeah. She did." Zak carefully stood up and began to walk out of the den, "C'mon, let me show you."

Shade sputtered after him anxiously, trying to persuade the Greywing to rest before trying anything daring. Especially something that could risk him getting injured again after passing out from recent bloodloss. But Zak already had his mind set on what he wanted to show him, picking up one of the cleaner leaves from the ground as he left. The pair flew up to one of the trees near the shelter, the Greywing feeling much better with his flying now that his cut was newly healed. Even Shade had noticed how he no longer winced when flapping his wings.

The young adult scanned his surroundings first, looking at the other trees around, the many branches acting as the perfect obstacles. It felt strange that he was feeling so confident at this moment, but he knew why. He turned to the leaf clutched in his hand before he began to roll it up and flatten it out, making it into a makeshift blindfold as he brought it up to his eyes, Shade watching with worry as he tied it just enough so that it was comfortable and wouldn't fall off. His eyesight was completely blocked off now.

"What're you doing? What's taking away your own eyesight going to do for you? What're you trying to prove?" The teen questioned, now genuinely concerned for his friend.

"Just watch," Zak responded evenly, "And I'll show you. Remember how Zephyr is blind? He can't see, but there was another way for him to move and fly without any problems. He used sound. There may come a moment where not even our night vision can help us see. From what we humans have learned, Shade, is that bats rely on sound as their sight. Even though now, with what I've seen, we can see just fine with our naked eye. At least to an extent." He took a deep breath, spreading his wings.

He exhaled. He couldn't see anything at all. The blindfold was doing what it was meant to. He took the leap, lightly wobbling in the air before he began to pump his wings and keep himself aloft. He soared smoothly straight ahead, keeping himself calm as the wind whistled in his ears. He took a deep breath, recalling the memories Nocturna gave him as he could faintly hear Shade scream out to him.

It sounded like he said 'watch out'.

After inhaling deeply...he let it out. A sound he never thought he could produce before had left his mouth. Through the blackness of his vision, he clearly saw a web of sound shoot spread out ahead of him, the color was like a silvery blue in his perception, before it collided with what looked like a tree. The moment he saw it, he banked hard to his left, avoiding the shimmering image with a slight wobble. But he was able to regain control and kept flying.

Again he took a breath and released the same high-pitched shriek, this time he could see branches spread out before him.

Zak merely grinned as he kept going forward. He sent out more sound as he ducked, weaved and dove over each and every branch that came his way. With his new knowledge on using his own echolocation, he could 'see' and sense whatever was ahead of him with no issues. He began to pick up speed, zooming past and around trees and making daringly close dodges with other branches. Then he proceeded to fly straight up into the sky, climbing up as high as he could possibly go, before letting himself drop back down towards the forest below him.

**"Woooohoohoooooo!"**

He couldn't help but yell out in pure excitement. How could he resist? For the first time ever since he first woke up as a Greywing, Zak was truly becoming a bat. He was using echolocation. He was flying blind like a bat!

All the while Shade watched from below, now feeling more relaxed then scared, and slowly growing excited and amazed from seeing his friend fly so effortlessly without using his eyesight. The Greywing dove back down and sharply pulled up, heading straight towards the Silverwing. The teen didn't know if he was intentionally doing so or not, considering he was blindfolded, but his instincts to dodge the incoming flyer was strong. But Zak deftly twisted through the air to easily dodge him, twirling through the air before catching himself. With his test seemingly done, the young adult carefully glided through the air before smoothly landing feet first on another tree branch. He took a moment to let the rush of flight wear off before standing up straight.

Removing the blindfold he took a breath and blinked the fogginess from his vision. It was such an otherwordly experience putting his ears to good use and perceiving sound as his main guide. Zak couldn't help but let another victorious yell out, "Yeah! Did you see that, Shade!"

"I saw it all! I couldn't look away! Well, I almost did but that was only because I was scared you were going to crash and get hurt again! I think Marina's impressed, too! She hasn't said a word since you flew by me!"

Zak realized that, indeed, Marina had been watching as well. She must've shown up during his test flight. Even from further away he could see the amazed slack-jawed look on her face. Though the look was probably due to that fact that he was flying like he had never been hurt in the first place.

He just waved to her as he called out again, "Hey, Marina! Think we should keep going and catch up with Shade's colony? I'm feeling much better now!"

Shortly after the trio were back in the air, the Brightwing was firing off one question after another to the Greywing. Ranging from how his shoulder had healed so fast when she had been gone for barely half an hour, to how he could fly so flawlessly with his eyes covered and how he was using his own echoes with such ease when he had barely used them before. Zak answered as best as he could, he himself still amazed from his newly emerging skills.

"I mean, just...wow!" Marina breathed out, "How is any of this possible? You're trying to tell me that Nocturna, goddess of the night, _gave _you the know-how on the rest of your instincts as a bat?"

"It sounds crazy, but it's true," Zak just chuckled, "But I also have Shade to thank for that. If it weren't for him praying to Nocturna to help me, you guys would still be waiting for me to wake up. Not only that, we'd be waiting for my shoulder to heal. Plus, I'm not sure how long it would've taken for me to learn how to use my own echolocation if I'd asked you guys. If it's even possible to teach someone about their own echoes."

"Honestly, Zak, I'm not even sure how we could've helped you with that," She replied, "I can't think of an easier way to describe how echolocation works, it just comes naturally to us without anyone's help. But, still, that's amazing you've got it down to memory now. Even better that you're okay."

Zak just smiled and thanked Marina for her words. It really did feel like a miracle that his wound healed the way it did. Otherwise, they'd be waiting for much longer before they would follow the colony's path again. He glanced at Shade, "Where are we headed next, navigator?"

"Our next stop is Stonehold, where all the males in our colony are waiting. With any luck, everyone might be staying there for awhile before they move on to Hibernaculum." He replied, a small smile appearing on his muzzle, "We're so close, you guys, I can feel it! Nothing can stop us now!"

At that, all three bats let out a cheerful cry, eager and relieved that they're perilous journey was coming to an end. They'd meet up with the Silverwings, Marina would get to meet Frieda, and with the owls finally off their backs they didn't have to worry about anything.

For the first time ever since he and Shade had gotten lost in the storm, Zak felt like things were finally looking up. A moment of silence passed before the Brightwing suddenly piped up.

"Is there anyone else in your family, Shade?" Marina curiously wondered, "Aside from your brothers, I mean?"

Shade hummed softly as if mulling over her question before he answered, "Well, Ben and Bartho aren't my brothers by blood. My mom took them in at different times. Bartho was the first, since both his fathers had to go to Stonehold with the other males they needed someone to look after him until they could meet again. So, I guess in a way, she adopted him. Then there's Ben a few years after. She never told me much about what happened, only to Bartho since he's older then I am, but apparently his mother didn't treat him well. Something that had to do with his dad dying before he was even born. She was banished, from what I heard, and then my mom adopted him. Ever since, the three of us became brothers. And, apparently, I have more brothers waiting at Stonehold. Mom didn't say how many, exactly, so I guess I'm going to find out soon."

"Wow, you have a big family, don't you?" Marina chuckled quietly, her tone became soft, "If it's alright with you, Shade, I'd rather not think about my family too much. You know, considering my band and all, even though it's gone. Maybe Zak would like to share something?" The Greywing became slightly tight-lipped once the subject of family came up.

Then he realized that this must've been what Nocturna was talking about before. About sharing his past.

"Hey yeah, what about you, Zak?" Shade immediately chirped, "What's your family like? Do you have any other siblings?"

There was no immediate answer. Both teens were confused by the strange silence to a rather simple question. But they didn't know that it wasn't so simple for the Greywing. Breathing in deeply, the young adult released a slow sigh.

"I'm an...only child in my family," He began, remembering Nocturna's words to him before he had woken up, "I don't really have any other relatives aside from my parents. I guess, because of that, they were protective of me. Maybe a little overbearing. To the point that it got frustrating, actually. They're good people, it's just...like I said, they were overbearing. They said they only wanted what was best for me. But when you've heard that line so many times it only adds to the frustration. And I've always heard that ever since I graduated high school. I wanted to do what _I_ thought was best for me, not what _they_ thought. Honestly, I was fine with just working a job and waiting until the best plan came to me on its own. But my parents? They thought differently. One day I come home and there's this letter addressed to me. From a college I had only looked at for a moment before leaving it. And yet...I never message them myself. I never did. My parents thought it was a good idea to do that for me. And...dammit, that's what set me off." Zak sighed bitterly, the memory of that argument coming back fully in his mind.

"That was the first time I ever spoke up against them. The very first time I was so angry that I was almost shouting. Asking them why they would go behind my back like that. Remembering back on that, I'm surprised that they didn't shout back. Instead, they just remained calm and tried to tell me they were thinking in my best interests. But I could tell that they were surprised by my reaction. I remember shouting at them...that they weren't thinking of my interests. I said that it seemed more like they were more worried about how it would make themselves look if I didn't plan out my future the way they wanted me to. I left the house after that to cool off. I didn't want to be around them. I wanted to get away from all of it, even if for just a few hours. But, lo and behold, I go for a walk into the woods and then...here I am. Honestly, I hated how my world worked. I hated having to prepare myself for a lifetime job I didn't even know what for, exactly. I hate the fact that I _have _to have a job in order to keep my life going forward. I mean, what good does money do, really? It's not really something you need unless it's to keep a house or an apartment you don't even like. Hell, everything about my human life I hated, especially just being part of the human race itself when all it does is take, take, take and take some more until there's nothing left!"

Zak fell silent right after. This was the first time in awhile that he spoke up about why, exactly, he was there in the first place. As well as sharing his personal feelings of his own life and path as a human. Recalling that, plus the last argument with his parents, left a bad taste in his mouth. He could feel Marina and Shade staring at him silently, unsure of what they were thinking. But he merely sighed and shook his head.

"Well, there you have it. That's my story." He stated bluntly, "If you don't mind, I'd rather not think about my life anymore. That part of me is something I'd rather forget. Let's just focus on finding whatever landmark is next on your sound map."

There was no answer from the two teenagers. Presumably they understood and decided to keep quiet. He didn't mean to dampen the mood, but he didn't like recalling just how truly mundane and miserable being a human was. Aside from their wings flapping, things had gotten relatively quiet.

Until Shade spoke up in a soft tone, "Well, hey, Marina and I are glad to have you here. Even Frieda and my family seemed to like you, too."

"Yeah," She piped up, "It's really good you're with us, Zak. Honestly, things would've been rather boring without you."

Zak didn't respond immediately, but hearing those words lifted his spirits. A small smile appearing on his face before he replied, "Thanks, you guys. I'm glad to hear that. It's good being with you both, too."

With that, the trio continued on their path, the Greywing leading on as the other two trailed beside him. All the while Shade shared the next landmark they needed to look out for. Apparently, they were looking for a pine tree shaped like an arrow.

Yet, they were in a forest full of pine trees.

_'Well, he said it looks like an arrow, so...I guess we'll know it when we see it.'_ Zak hummed thoughtfully.

* * *

They had finally made it. Bartho could barely believe it. They were at Stonehold.

He could still hear Ariel's warm words of encouragement when the colony landed right outside of the cavern's massive entrance.

"Your fathers will be so happy to see you, Bartho," She had said, smiling happily for the Greenwing, "Go on, go and see them."

And here he was, not just him but Todd, Breeze and even Chinook eagerly followed him so that they could go meet their fathers for the first time in years. Amongst the many smaller openings dotting the rocky canyon, there was a single larger opening leading into a cave, no doubt the place where the males would sleep and take shelter.

_'It still feels so unreal. I still remember seeing both Dad and Pa' before they had to go to Stonehold. After all these years of waiting I'm gonna see them again. They're going to be so surprised to see how much I've grown since then.'_ Bartho thought excitedly, yet nervously. It had been a long time since he last saw his fathers. It would be a whole different experience meeting his own parents who would, in a way, feel somewhat like strangers.

But the Greenwing was confident that it would take no time at all to warm up to them again. As he and the others entered the cave, he eagerly looked around for the Silverwing and Greywing couple, the other teens calling for their respective fathers.

"Dad? Pa'? Umm, Trenton and Thomas?" He called in sheepish uncertainty, feeling a little strange using his parents' first names just to find them, "I just want to make sure I can find the right family! Hello?"

There was no answer. Which was extremely odd. It was all the males that resided here, so there should be a lot of chatter and activity. But then the Greenwing realized something else. Stonehold felt unusually quiet.

Too quiet.

"Anyone here?" He called out once more, landing and beginning to walk to investigate the cave more carefully. There were more small openings scattered inside, some closer to the ground for easier on-foot investigation. The Greenwing was getting ready to call for someone yet again before his eyes landed on something laying on the ground. Something brightly colored.

"That's weird. It doesn't look like anyone's here." Todd frowned, looking up at Breeze as she landed right beside him.

"But why would Stonehold be empty? I don't get it, I thought our fathers would be waiting for us." The female replied, visibly disappointed and confused at the absence of not only her father but the rest of the males. Chinook didn't say anything, keeping his distance from the pair before he spotted Bartho kneeling down to the ground.

"Did you find anything, Bartho?" He asked, but was met with silence, confusing him and the other two teenagers, "Bartho? Hey, did you find any sign of the males?"

The Greenwing finally stood up but kept his back faced to the three. Now more confused then before, the three approached him. Breeze spoke up at that moment.

"Bartho? What's wrong?"

"The owls were here."

The answer caused all of them to freeze. At first, in surprise, and then growing worry and fear. Only when Bartho finally turned around, clutching something in his hands, that the reality truly hit them. He was holding an owl's feather. And just behind him, there were a few more lying scattered on the stone floor.

Missing males and owl feathers? That was not a good sign.

* * *

Brutus glowered at the mass of steel and stone ahead of him, the constant hum of the energy that flowed through this place was otherwordly. Orestes always had an interest in the Humans machines and their 'technology', as he called them. The owl general was not happy in the slightest. And there was a twinge of worry in him, as well. Not only was the prince still missing, but he hadn't come back on his own and judging from the information that Atlas brought back to him, he wasn't planning on coming back. At least not until they had found the proof of the lawbreaker's innocence. Whatever that proof was.

Positioned on top of a shed right outside the power station, Brutus looked about as his soldiers and lieutenant were combing the place for any clues of the fugitives and the prince. Soon he saw Atlas heading towards him.

"So?" The General started, "Did you find anything?" The other owl only shook his head.

"No, sir, there's no sign of any proof that the prince spoke of. All we found was another body. A raven, we think, but there wasn't much left of the body."

Brutus let out a slow breath through his nose. His frown deepening at the news. He was expecting nothing to be found, but was still disappointed regardless. Orestes had claimed there was evidence. And yet there was nothing to be found except another bird corpse. And a raven, for that matter. There was no way three small prisoners could take down a bird that size. Still though, Brutus quickly shook the obvious possibility out of his mind yet again.

"As I've said before, Lieutenant, giant bats do not exist," He grumbled, "They never have. It's probably nothing more then a ploy devised by that lawbreaker to divert our attention off of them. No doubt he's fooled the prince into believing their lies. Has the squadron we sent to the southern canyon returned?"

"Yes sir, but they found no signs of the Silverwings. But evidence suggests that there were bats roosting there." Brutus only growled at the news.

"Somehow they must've known our soldiers were coming. We'll keep moving further down south. Those Silverwings won't get away from us so easily. In the meantime, I think it's about time we call a meeting with the beasts. We need to spread word about Shade Silverwing and his accomplices. The more animals that are aware, the better. Word travels fast, others will join as soon as they hear. Get it done, Lieutenant."

"Yes, General." With his order given the owl took off.

A little further away from the shed, the owl soldiers examining the raven's corpse were soon called away to aid Atlas in spreading word of the meeting. The area had a very distinct smell of something that had been burned.

But yet there was nothing to be found. A body that should've been there was now absent.


	14. Smoke & Mirrors Pt1

**Chapter 11: Smoke & Mirrors (Part 1)**

* * *

The tiger moth didn't look as appetizing as it should have, Zak noted. His mind was abuzz with many other conflicting thoughts as he stared at the bug clutched in his hand. He'd been staring at it for a few minutes now, lost in his own head. The moth just stared back at him.

_'__I thought things were going to be easier from now,'_ He thought woefully, _'__That our trip to Hibernaculum would be smooth sailing. Dammit, but now not only are the owls looking for us, but the land animals are keeping watch for the Silverwings? I just hope that Ursa can talk some sense into Brutus like she said she would.'_

Indeed, just last night, the Greywing and his friends had learned of some unfortunate and upsetting news. They did believe that they were going to be safe from the wrath of the owls if they found Goth's body as hard evidence. But, quite unfortunately, it seemed that either they didn't find the body or they did and just didn't care at all if he was the real killer of the owl soldiers. While Zak had been off hunting in his own area, Shade and Marina happened to hear a conversation between a small group of animals that not only were the wolves growing unruly and hunting every animal without restraint or fear of consequence, they were also ordered to be on the lookout for the Silverwings.

Apparently, there was someone who was supposed to make sure the wolves didn't kill and eat when they weren't supposed to. But from what the young duo had heard, they weren't exactly the best kind of leader.

The trio came to learn about who the newly appointed leader of the land creatures was. Ursa, a black bear who was born with white fur. When the trio had found her in an attempt to get her help, she was not interested in the slightest about getting involved. In fact, she was more concerned about prepping for hibernation instead of taking proper action as leader. Wolves overhunting? That wasn't her problem, wolves were wolves. Helping an orphaned bear cub after they're mother was killed? She didn't want the hassle of having another mouth to feed, despite the fact she had come across a rather large stash of food beforehand. Overall, despite being a very capable animal, not to mention strong, Ursa just didn't care for anyone else other then herself; and had little to no concern for what was going on throughout the forests in general. A revelation that left Zak, Shade and Marina, disappointed. And having to try and lead said baby bear to safety.

The poor thing's mother had been killed attempting to cross a busy highway, from what Zak had learned later on.

But as the old saying goes, 'Fate works in mysterious ways'. As the trio and the cub in their care came under attack from the wolves. Despite the grim odds stacked against them, Ursa had arrived and took up her responsibility as leader in one of the most amazing ways possible by fighting off the wolves until they ran off in fear of her wrath. Seeing the difference she could really make, Ursa finally seemed to understand how important her role as a leader was. Not only did she bring the cub into her care, but she swore that she would talk to Brutus and have the charges against the trio and the Silverwings dropped.

When she wasn't being grumpy and thinking of herself, she really was a caring and responsible bear. The image of Ursa looking after the orphaned bear cub brought a bit of comfort to the Greywing, knowing that they weren't going to be alone.

_'__I just hope that things will be a little easier now.'_ He popped the moth into his mouth, remembering that they had stopped to get their energy back. He took off further into the forest to keep hunting, the moth having been his very first catch tonight. But he began to notice that as the weather steadily grew colder, bugs were also becoming harder to come by.

Shade and Marina were waiting at a hollow tree, their roosting spot from last night, discussing his sound map and the clue they needed to look for.

"So you said we're looking for a pine tree that looks like an arrow, right?" She asked him, looking perplexed and doubtful, "I don't know if you noticed, Shade, but we're in a forest _full_ of them."

"It should be easy, it's got a funny shape to it from the others. I'll recognize it once we see it. After that, we shouldn't be much farther from Stonehold." Shade said confidently, before looking around for any sign of the Greywing, "We'll get moving as soon as Zak gets back. I just hope it's soon."

They didn't have to wait for very long as the Greywing appeared soon after, "Sorry, I don't think there's much bugs in this area. But I have enough energy to fly for awhile, if you guys are ready to go."

"Yeah, I'm good. Marina?" The Brightwing nodded at the male, "Yep, we're both ready. Let's get moving."

They didn't talk much during the flight, except asking one another if they could spot the arrow-shaped tree. An hour in neither of them saw anything except for normal pine trees and some mountains dotting the landscape. After awhile had passed into their trip, Shade suddenly perked up.

"There it is! Straight ahead! That's the tree!" He called out excitedly, gesturing towards the very tree they were looking for. The tip of the pine was crooked, very likely almost broken, and had several branches below it missing. It looked like it was pointing off towards the left, from where the trio was looking.

"Well, whaddya know?" Zak chuckled, "It really does look like an arrow. Good eye, Shade! I'm guessing we just follow where it's pointing and we should be able to get to Stonehold from there, right?"

"Yeah! I think we go around that mountain ahead of us and we should be there!"

After passing the tree they kept their course towards the mountains beyond. There was more silence between them, only because neither bat knew what to talk about to pass the time. That was until Shade spoke up in a curious tone.

"So, uh, Zak? What are you planning to do once we get to Hibernaculum? Are you going to stay with us? I mean, I know you're originally a human, but...it'd be nice having you around. Frieda said you could stay, didn't she? If you told everyone else about where you really came from, maybe they'd be okay with you staying, too. Marina and I know and we're still friends, right?" Shade asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

"Honestly, Shade? I'm not too sure. Not yet, at least." Zak replied, staying silent for a moment before speaking again, "I haven't been thinking much about what I'm going to do. I've just been focusing on making sure you guys make it back to the Silverwings safe and sound. My plan afterward? Well...we'll see. I still got time to think about it. As for telling everyone else about where I really came from? What I really am? I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Just you two knowing is enough for now. And I'd like to keep it that way until I'm ready, if that's alright."

"Oh. Yeah. Right, I understand." The Silverwing replied, his hopeful smile faltering slightly from the answer. He could hear the Greywing sigh slightly from behind him. While he hadn't shown it very much, the Silverwing was actually holding high hopes that the human turned would actually stay. He was really good company, he got along well with his family, not to take away from the fact that he had saved him when he looked at the sun.

There was no doubt that, once they made it back to his colony, Zak would have earned himself a place with the Silverwings.

But, as the young adult had said, would he actually stay? Or would he leave after everything was finished?

While Zak made sure that his response was reasonable and understandable, he didn't miss the look that flashed across Shade's face upon hearing it. The Greywing had to honest, he truly wasn't sure what he wanted to do after everything was over. Would he stay with the Silverwings? Or would he go back to his mundane normal life as a human being? Would it even be his choice in the end? These questions swirled in his head before he focused back on his flying. He could think about it later. Right now they still had a ways to go.

The next several minutes were spent making their way to the mountain range passed the arrow tree, slowly making progress as it got closer and closer as time passed. If Zak were to guess, they'd make the pass in another half hour or so. Everything felt like it was going well.

Until the back of his neck began to tingle.

The Greywing stopped himself and hovered in place, looking around anxiously. The tingle had been gone for a couple of days. The fact that it came back so suddenly alarmed him.

"Guys, stop!" He half whispered and half shouted, causing the two teenagers to freeze. The Greywing took a quick glance around himself, but he didn't see anything, "Let's hide. Something doesn't feel right."

The three bats chose a random pine tree and hid within it's branches. Marina must've noticed how the back of his neck had spiked up and asked in a soft voice, "What is it? Owls? Or other birds?"

"Shh!" Zak hushed her softly, his ears standing at attention, swiveling and twitching for any sounds that stood out from the rest of the forest. He could hear trees rustling from a light breeze. The creaking of the wood as they moved slowly. He was trying to listen out for any unfamiliar wingbeats. Trying to determine if they were an owl's or a bat's.

But he wasn't hearing anything. All he heard was the forest and the slight rustle of movement from Shade and Marina behind him. He let out a breath he had been holding before he spoke, keeping his tone quiet, "I don't hear anything. Still, let's be careful. Something's telling me we're not alone. You guy's ready to keep...going?"

He turned around, only to find that the other two were no longer standing behind him, "Guys? Shade? Marina, where'd you go?"

He didn't see them on the other branches. Were they on the opposite side of the tree itself? He carefully stepped around the main shaft, hoping to catch a glimpse of the pair. But he still didn't see hide nor hair of them.

_'__I swear, if they're trying to play a joke and scare me. Now's not a good time for it.'_ Zak thought with a grimace, preparing himself for one of the teens to suddenly jump out at him. But a slight rustle in the branches above caught his attention and immediately turned his head upward at the source.

His eyes widened at what, or rather who, he saw. The head of purple hair he spotted clued him in instantly.

"Throbb?!" He gasped, then realized that the male was holding two struggling forms in his arms, the frightened faces of Shade and Marina were wrapped tightly within his arms. His hands were clasped over their mouths to try and silence the frightened shouts and whimpers they made, "Guys! Let go of them, you-!"

The Greywing's vision suddenly went dark and felt as if something had wrapped around his head in a tight grip. He felt himself be hoisted up into the air before he was tossed right back into the tree. The impact was enough to knock the wind out of him.

"You're as brave as you were back at the Fire Towers, dear Zak," A familiar voice said cooly as he tried to get his breath back, "Ready to fight tooth and claw to protect your precious friends. Though might I suggest getting ahold of yourself? You don't want to be in over your head trying to play the hero."

Just the sound of it triggered another fearful response from the Greywing. He blinked the fuzziness out of his vision as he looked up, ears laying back flat as horror washed over him.

It was Goth. Looking exactly the way he had been left back at the power station, only he looked far worse then Zak had expected. Most of the Vampyrum's red hair bad been burned off, looking much shorter and rattier like the rest of him. He looked like hell. But he was very much alive.  
And he looked very pissed off. It was the kind where the emotion didn't show on his face, but it radiated from his eyes alone. And it scared the young adult far more then he was letting on.

"No," He whispered, "No way. How...? How are you still alive? You're supposed to be dead." The Greywing could barely move as a large hand came down and grasped him by the throat and lifted him into the air once more. Goth just grinned darkly at him.

"Awww, disappointed? You wound me." Goth feigned a hurt tone, but then his face hardened as he spoke normally, his voice cold as ice, "I _was_ dead. For a little while, anyway. Yours and the little runt's stunt nearly worked, I'll give you that. But did you really think it would be that easy? No. Oh no no no, not in your life. You, your friends and I? We have unfinished business. After all, someone's gotta pay for ruining this once beautiful face of mine. So I'll get right to the point." He cast a glance at Throbb as he moved a little closer. The shorter male had an unreadable look on his face. But his eyes held a softness to them, despite the current situation.

He almost looked...apologetic? He'd loosened his grip from Shade and Marina's mouths, but he still kept them held close to ensure they didn't take off. The teens just looked at him and then focused on Goth, the same fear filling their eyes.

"You three," Goth grabbed Zak's attention once more, ",are going to lead us to the Silverwing colony. But let me make one thing clear. I am _not_ in the mood for anymore tricks."

The Vampyrum dropped him to the ground, before receiving a stern gesture of his head to get flying, "You'll fly ahead of us. I'll be behind you. Your friends will follow and Throbb will be at the rear. Don't even think of trying anything."

Zak could only offer a shaky nod, glancing at his friends once more before doing what he was told. What other choice did he have? If he dared to disobey, Goth would no doubt follow through with his threats. That burning glare given to him and Shade was proof enough.

Throbb watched the pair take off first, letting his shoulders sag in relief that Goth hadn't outright killed the Greywing the moment they spotted the group. Nevermind Zak, Shade he might've finished off in an instant. But, for now, things seemed calm enough. He gently released the younglings, though not without the two giving him both fearful and hateful glares.

Of course, he thought, after what Shade had seen him do they wouldn't trust him so readily now. Zotz, even Zak got the same look in his eyes before Goth grabbed him.

Admittedly...it hurt. He wasn't a bad guy. He was only trying to survive. Unfortunately these three northern bats didn't see it his way. Nor did they know the truth, for that matter.

Throbb still regretted having to eat the Brightwing, but the northerner was suffering. And he had begged to be taken away from the pain. Still, though, he felt sick from having to do such a thing. He just gave a sigh as he followed closely behind the pair. The plan he and Goth had discussed earlier was that they would get the trio to lead them to Hibernaculum. He said if they had to, either the Greywing or the two little ones, threatening the life of the other should be good enough reason to force cooperation.

But the way Goth had looked when he said it. It was like he was hoping that there'd be some resistance, just to give him an excuse to go ahead and kill either Zak or Shade. That's what concerned Throbb the most. Something had changed in his brother since he miraculously came back to life. Like something had snapped in his head. Before his 'death', Goth had been level-headed and calculated, if not a little arrogant of his own plans. Now? He was colder, distant and didn't seem like he was completely there at times. In fact, the very first thing Goth had done when he woke up was scream in what had to be the most intense pain he had ever felt.

And then, Throbb had found himself nearly getting strangled to death. He still shuddered from the feeling of not being able to breathe, struggling to wake Goth from his episode with what little breath he could get. Thankfully, his sibling seemed to acknowledge what he was doing and released him. After that, it was like the taller male had become someone else.

He shook himself free of those memories as he heard Goth asking Shade where they were supposed to go next. The teenager said that they had to head towards the end of the mountain and take a left away from it. He could easily hear it in the boy's voice that that wasn't the right direction. Shade was lying.

And yet, Throbb couldn't help but feel impressed by his bravery. But for how long could he keep it up for before Goth caught on? The male just took a deep breath and hoped for the best that the lie worked. As much as it worried him greatly on how badly it would backfire for the Silverwing.

* * *

**Meanwhile, at Stonehold...**

* * *

The inside of Stonehold was a cacophony of voices echoing around the rocky walls of the roost. Bartho was only able to discern what all the voices were feeling as they muttered and murmured endlessly. Fear, shock, worry and outrage. The fear and worry were understandable. These were the females' mates that were missing. The fathers of the children nowhere to be found. As for the outrage, it was stemming from the how and why the Owls had come to Stonehold of all places. Frieda said they were after them specifically, the Silverwings who had been in the city not long before the first bird corpse was discovered. So why would the Owls suddenly go looking for the males? An attempt of halving their numbers? Or a bargaining chip to get the rest to surrender?

He had to stop listening and thinking over such grim details, Ariel getting his attention as he stood with Ben and the others. Right now there were other things to worry about. Frieda was addressing the colony about the current situation.

"Please, settle down," The elder called out, the murmurs quieting down as her voice rang out, "I understand that all of you are worried about what happened to the males and where they are. I wish there was good news to bring, but there's not much I can tell you other then what we already know. There doesn't appear to be any signs of a fight, so we can safely assume that the males were able to leave just before the Owls arrived."

As she spoke, Bathsheba just watched from afar. Staring at the other elder with a deep frown

"But where have they gone?" One female called out, soon spurring others to speak out.

"How do we know that our mates are even safe?"

"What if the Owls gave chase?!"

"Our mates could be hurt, captured or worse!"

"Now, hold on, please!" Frieda tried to soothe the buildup of anxiety in the females as more started adding their worries to the bunch, "We don't know that! The best thing we can do is to keep moving on to Hibernaculum! Perhaps the males have taken refuge there!"

"But you don't know that for sure, do you?" Bathsheba finally spoke up, standing up and striding to the other female, "How can you be so confident that the males are still alive? Or free, for that matter? It seems to me that things have only gotten worse with your decisions."

Frieda's face hardened at the other elder's tone and words, "What're you saying, Bathsheba? Every decision I've made has been for the good of this colony. We've gotten this far."

"You know what I'm talking about, Frieda, don't you even deny it." Bathsheba hissed softly, "I'm talking about how you saved the lawbreaker and his friend from being handed over to the Owls!"

At that, Bartho and Ariel looked at each other. Then to the others who had stood by them, Chinook, Todd, Breeze, Ben and even Mercury. With the way Bathsheba had spoken those words, it was clear at what the ensuing argument would be about.

"After everything we've endured since you made that decision, being chased by the Owls and nearly being killed by the Humans machines, and now the males having disappeared? This is the last straw, Frieda!" The stout female seethed, "How many more of your decisions are we going to have to go through before things get better? In case you haven't noticed, things have _never_ gotten any better! Not since Tree Haven and not since the City! This endless cycle of terror ends now, Frieda!" Bathsheba turned to the colony and raised her voice louder for them all to hear.

"How many more bad decisions are we willing to let Frieda make?" She crowed, "How much longer are we going to let her lead us into further danger? Are you truly willing to leave your lives in the hands of a leader that risks everything for just two lives?"

It was there for the first time that Bartho had seen a whole other emotion overtake Frieda's aging face. It wasn't the words that Bathsheba had spoken. It wasn't the tone she had used either. But rather, it was the sudden uproar of agreeing murmurs from the colony that surprised her. So many females were voicing their disapproval and fear of how things had been going throughout their journey. So many were actually in support with Bathsheba. Frieda just looked around at many faces looking her way or looking towards the bat next to them. For the first time she looked like she didn't know what to do.

She had never been placed onto a pedestal like this before. To be judged for what she believed were the right decisions. Meanwhile, hearing the new chatters and mutters, Bathsheba gave a brief glance at her colleague before turning back to the colony once more.

"It's within my duty as a member of the Elders to ensure that the leadership acts in only the best interest of the Silverwings! Decisions that will not put anyone at risk and will keep all of us safe!"

"Frieda has been nothing but a good leader!" Ariel interjected, hoping to keep things from escalating and showing her support for the elder who protected her son and his friend, "We trust her! She's never done us wrong!"

"Of course you would think that, Ariel," Bathsheba glowered, "After all, Frieda did choose to save your lawbreaker child and that Greywing outsider. And let me remind you, handing them over would've ensured our colony and our summer roost would be safe! But what happens? Frieda refuses to do so, Tree Haven gets burned down and now look what else has happened! We were lucky to have been spared by the owls in the beginning, but now they're hunting us! For something we never did, for that matter! She claims that everything has been for the good of our colony but there's been nothing but trouble! Well, it comes to an end. _Now._"

Bathsheba slowly returned to the rest of her audience, "I think it's time that we've had a leadership vote! Those in favor of keeping Frieda as leader, raise your wings!"

Bartho and the others were shocked. Was Bathsheba really going to do this? There was no way this was some sick joke. Once she called for the votes for Frieda, he and the others immediately raised a hand into the air to show their support for the current leader. But there was little to no hope for more votes. There was only seven for Frieda. Bathsheba, meanwhile, just sniffed in disdain.

The rest of the female Elders just watched in silence. There votes didn't matter, by law. Only the votes of the colony did.

"And those in favor of appointing me as leader?" Frieda's look of confidence fell slightly as suddenly a much larger number of wings stood up. Far more then what she had gotten moments ago. Even Bathsheba was taken by surprise from the majority that wanted her. But she let a small smile form at the reality that, now, she was the one to lead the colony. She briefly glanced back at the taller female, "The votes have it, Frieda. You are no longer leader here. It's time someone more responsible took charge."

As Bathsheba 'humbly' accepted the role as leader, Frieda only sighed as she turned to the small group of what were possibly her only supporters. Already the cave was alive with more activity as the shorter elder called for them all to leave and continue on to Hibernaculum. Todd and Breeze passed her with soft apologies as they took off. Chinook following further behind them, but not before giving his apologies to Frieda before he followed after.

Now it was just Bartho, Ben, Mercury and Ariel left with her.

"What...what just happened?" Bartho questioned, baffled by the turn of events.

"Frieda just lost her right as leader," Ben replied, looking up at his brother with worry in his eyes, "What does this mean for us? How do we know if Bathsheba will even be a good leader?"

"Bathsheba's been jealous of Frieda for her entire life," Mercury interjected, his face hardened and serious, "She always thought she deserved to be leader. It was just a matter of when she would put her plan into place."

"I won't obey her," Ariel added, shaking her head in disbelief, "I can't. She's wrong with what she said. Frieda, you've been nothing but a good leader. You didn't do anything wrong. The Owls are to blame for all of this!"

"Unfortunately, she doesn't see it that way, but I'm with you. I won't obey her, either." Mercury concurred.

"That's enough. Both of you!" Frieda suddenly and sharply cut them off, "You know well enough that Bathsheba was within her right as an elder to call for that vote. The colony has already spoken. They wanted her for leader and they've got her. We must abide by their choice."

Initially shocked by her reaction, Ariel found her voice again, "But Frieda, we can't respec-!"

"_Ariel!_" Frieda sharply snapped, then immediately relaxed when she saw the stunned reactions from both bats, as well as the two teenagers standing nearby, "Ariel. Mercury. I respect your opinions. I do. But, please, listen to me. Like me and the others, Bathsheba is an elder. She had a right to call for a vote. As much as you don't like it, she's still an elder. I'm very sorry for the things she has said about Shade and Zak. Truly, I am. But there's nothing more we can do except live with the decision and keep moving. That's all I'm willing to say on this matter."

Before either Mercury or Ariel could say anything more, the elder spread her wings and took off after the rest of the colony. Bartho and Ben looked on before turning to each other.

"That's...the first time I've ever heard her raise her voice." The chubby male said in disbelief. Bartho merely nodded in reply. Soon the other elders began to take flight, but Lucretia stayed behind a moment longer, walking up to the two adults.

"Please forgive her," She said softly to Ariel and Mercury, "She doesn't usually get so riled up. She's been leader of the female Silverwings for years. This is the first time her position has been challenged after one mistake. Honestly, I'm glad she took the chance to save the two younglings. Just give her time."

Having said her peace, she left the small group to themselves. After taking a moment to clear their thoughts they followed close behind to catch up with the colony. Ariel and Mercury understood what Lucretia was telling them. Maybe Frieda was right. Maybe having Bathsheba as leader would be for the best. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

**Back with the trio...and duo...**

* * *

"You're positive we're going in the right direction?"

"Y-Yeah, we are. This is it."

"You're sure." It wasn't so much as a question Goth had asked this time. And the tone in his voice didn't help Shade's growing anxiety as he continued leading the Vampyrum astray.

"Yes! I am!" He tried to say confidently, but his voice cracked. He dearly hoped the giant male was buying his bluff. Meanwhile, at the front, Zak was nearly being driven crazy by the constant tingle in his neck. Having Goth lingering right behind him did not help his mood, either.

It had nearly been an hour, he had to guess, since they passed the mountain. Going in the opposite direction of where they were meant to go. Goth barely spoke a word, and when he did it was only to ask Shade if they were going the right way. Throbb? He just stayed quiet. For the next few minutes they flew in silence until Goth began to softly growl. Then it turned into a building snarl.

Before Zak even had time to react, the tingle suddenly spiking like crazy, his arms were suddenly grabbed by Goth's footclaws. He was no longer flying as the Vampyrum instead took control. He could only shiver as the larger bat sharply banked downwards toward the forest blow, butterflies flaring up in his stomach from the drop in altitude, before sharply turning up and diving again into a small ravine.

If he was in control of his own flight the butterflies sensation didn't bother him. But Goth had him in his grasp. He wasn't in control. So it felt...strange. Scary, even.

Zak could only wonder where exactly Goth was taking him, glancing back and finding his friends and Throbb following close behind. He could briefly see the frightened confusion on their faces. Before long, they suddenly changed direction towards an opening in the rock wall of the ravine. The Greywing didn't have much time to get a good look of where Goth was going before he was tossed in. Hitting the rough stone floor painfully and rolling into a solid wall.

He could only groan before he heard those large and terrifying claws clicking and scraping on the rock, "I thought I told you I was not in the mood for _games_!"

Suddenly, Zak could feel a hand wrap around his throat once more and was lifted into the air. But this time, Goth increased his grip, putting pressure on his neck as he glared intensely at him.

"No, I-I swear, Goth! I'm not playing any games with you!" Shade desperately, fear filling his voice after he and Marina entered, "We're heading in the right direction! Honest!"

"Do you really think I'm _that_ stupid, Shade?" The Vampyrum sneered, half chuckling and half growling, looking from the Silverwing and back to the Greywing held in his grasp, "I can tell when you're lying. You're trying to lead us astray. Protect your colony. Noble. But stupid."

He tightened his grip, making Zak give a short gasp and gripping at Goth's large hand desperately.

"Please! Goth, don't hurt him!"

"Why not? You should've thought twice about trying to deceive us!" Goth just snarled, not letting go of the Greywing. All the while, Marina began to grow scared and restless. Though her face grew hard, trying to put on a brave expression.

"We've seen what you monsters are capable of! You're only going to kill the Silverwings and us once we lead you to them!" She said in defiance, as much as he eyes betrayed her emotions.

"So you'd rather I kill you all now and steadily starve to death? Not going to happen, girl. See, I need you and the boy's help to find his colony. We need to be able to eat and keep our strength up. What can't you understand about that?!" The large male prepared another retort but froze. To the teens, and Throbb, it looked as if he was running something through his head. Thinking...something. Zak just looked on, taking short shuddering breaths, before the Vampyrum turned his cold eyes back to him.

He only smiled, "Now that I think about it...we don't really need three guides. Even two will do just fine."

"Goth, what're you...?" Throbb spoke, but fell silent. As if he realized in an instant what his brother was talking about, "No. No, no, Goth! No! Don't, this isn't necessary!"

"_It _**_is_**_ necessary!_" Goth snarled right on back, jostling the young adult uncomfortably, "If we're to get home we need to make the difficult choices! Shade, you listen to me and you listen closely. If you don't start telling the truth and take us where we need to go, there will be consequences. You both love your dear old friend, don't you?"

Shade and Marina just stared at Goth in fear and confusion. The Greywing could see what he was trying to do and quickly gasped to the Silverwing, "Don't you dare tell him anything, Sha-**Hlk**!"

He was immediately silenced when the Vampyrum suddenly increased his grip, effectively cutting off his airway, "Ah-ah-ah, don't listen to your friend. You listen to me. Tell me where we need to go...or I keep squeezing until his neck snaps like a twig."

"Goth, no! Don't-!" Throbb immediately rushed to try and stop his brother.

**"Shut it!"** Goth turned and backhanded the other male away from him, the force strong enough to knock him to the floor, **"I knew you didn't have it in you to make the hard decisions! You better stay down or I'll kill you next!"**

He immediately snapped his head back to Shade and snarled dangerously, increasing his grip on Zak's neck and his voice going cold and calm, "Time's ticking, Shade. Tell me the truth or your friend dies."

Zak let out choked gasps, clawing and grasping at Goth's wrist desperately. He didn't want Shade telling the Vampyrum the next point on the sound map. But...his survival instincts were telling him to fight and try to get a breath of air. The pressure on his neck was intense and it only grew. The edges of his vision were beginning to turn red.

Suddenly it was as if the colors in his view were getting brighter.

He was feeling lightheaded as the pressure only increased.

Shade could do nothing but watch as the Greywing was struggling, fighting, trying to free himself from Goth's grip. The ever increasing redness in his cheeks. His eyes wide and almost appearing to bulge ever so slightly. The sight and sound of his friend being strangled terrified him.

"Don't look at him, look at me, Shade!" Goth shouted, "Tell me what I want to know and your friend lives!"

He couldn't answer. Marina wasn't saying anything, only grasping his shoulder tightly with a shaky grip. Even she was too terrified to say anything. But her nerves won over as she saw the condition the Greywing was in.

But all that came out was, "J-Just stop! Please!"

Zak's face was starting to turn slightly purple now. His eyelids were fluttering, like he was struggling to keep them open. He only gave the smallest of sounds as Goth slowly squeezed harder.

"His time is running out. Keep me waiting any longer...and I just might squeeze too hard and break something."

Shade looked from Goth and Zak frantically, beginning to hyperventilate, his mind racing all the while.

"Well, Shade?!" Goth growled again, his grip shaking the Greywing slightly. He only croaked weakly, his eyes looking red, almost on the verge of becoming bloodshot; as his struggles slowed. Soon his hands slipped from the Vampyrum's wrist and hung down limply. His eyes were beginning to roll up.

He was slowly dying.

The Silverwing dashed forward and hammered his fists into Goth's stomach and legs, finally finding his voice and shouting, **"S-Stop it! Stop! I-I-I'll show you where we need to go! I'll lead you to my colony! Please, just, just don't kill him! L-Let him go! Let him go!"**

Goth just glared down at him. Not looking the slightest bit amused at the display. For a moment he just continued glaring, then turned to the Greywing now hanging limply in his grasp, before turning back and giving a small satisfied smile.

"Glad we've come to an understanding." He finally released Zak, the young adult dropping to the floor and slumping against the wall of the cave. He didn't make a sound, but with the vice-like grip finally gone, he suddenly opened his eyes and took in a deep wheezing breath. Then immediately hunched over as hacking coughs left his body. He grasped at his neck, his face twisted in pain as he took another deep breath before falling into another coughing fit.

"Zak! Zak!" Shade gasped, both he and Marina rushing over to their friend's side, "I'm sorry! I-I'm so sorry! He was gonna kill you, I had to-! I had to do something or you were going to...!"

"Shade, it's alright, just...! Zak's still alive, see? We don't blame you for wanting to save him." Marina calmed the Silverwing before checking on the other male, "Hey, hey, just focus on breathing, big guy. 'Kay? I'm sorry, too, I just...I didn't know what I was trying to do, but I didn't know Goth would threaten to kill you. I'm sorry."

Zak, after getting over his coughing fits, just took slow and raspy breaths. Before glancing up weakly at the two, eyes reddened from the ordeal he suffered before managing to wheeze out, _"'__s'okay."_

His voice barely came out as a whisper, Marina immediately shushing him, "Easy, don't talk. Just keep breathing."

"I'll give your friend a moment. Once he's able to fly, we go." Goth uttered from where he stood, before turning around to stand at the opposite side of the cave entrance. But not before he stopped to look at Throbb who remained where he had fell. Shade glanced over quickly, seeing the hurt and frightened expression on the adult's face as he looked up at the other Vampyrum. His lip was bleeding, probably had been cut by his teeth when Goth had struck him. A bruise was also beginning to form where he had been hit.

The taller bat merely sneered at him before leaving him be. Throbb just turned his gaze down to the ground, wincing as he wiped the blood from his lip. He then looked up to the three smaller bats. He didn't say a word, only picking himself up so that he could sit with his back against the rock. Shade and Marina didn't say anything either.

They almost wanted to ask if he was okay. Almost. But right now their only concern was the wellbeing of the Greywing who was still wheezing.

Shade knew that he needed to try and think of something that would get them all away from Goth. But what, exactly? The Vampyrum had seen through his lie already, and no doubt he wouldn't hesitate to hurt Zak again. Maybe even kill him for real.

But what else could he possibly do? He wasn't strong like Goth. He wasn't big like Goth. He wasn't like...Goth.

An idea began to form in his head. He didn't know whether it would actually work or not, and it was still a very rough plan, but he memorized it. He just had to wait for an opportunity.

Once he was able to breathe properly, Zak and the others were in the air and following the real path Goth had coerced out of Shade. The Greywing was grateful that he was even still alive. But the odd clicking he could hear and feel in his throat when he swallowed was a little concerning. He hoped it was just a temporary thing after nearly getting his throat crushed.

_'I just hope Shade knows what he's doing,' _He thought, _'As much as I don't want to be ungrateful for being alive, thanks to him, he just put his entire colony at risk. We need to figure out a way to get away from Goth. Something that'll distract him, at the very least. But what can we even do? Our options are limited! It would take a miracle for something to keep him busy long enough for us to slip away!'_

A pang of hunger in his belly interrupted him. He realized that it had been some time since he and the others had last eaten. The young adult glanced back at Goth, looked back forward, then looked back again.

"What?" Goth barked at him, "What is it now?"

"N-Nothing! It's just...we're getting hungry. Before you caught us we didn't find much. I was just going to suggest that, maybe, we can stop so we can get our strength back up?"

"How do I know you won't try and escape? Shade already attempted to lie to us. How do I know you're not doing the same?"

"Wait, Goth, just listen," Zak interjected, "We have to eat, right? I'm sure you and Throbb need your strength to keep flying, too. Otherwise, neither of us will be able to fly if we don't have the energy. And if we can't fly, we're vulnerable to whatever might be living on the ground. And if we're vulnerable, that means we'll either get eaten by something bigger then us or we die to the elements. And if we die to the elements, you and Throbb are out of luck-"

"Alright, alright, enough! I get it!" Goth exasperated, "Fine, we'll stop up here. But don't even think about-"

"Running away, I know. We won't try anything." Zak replied, focusing back on the path ahead of him before they came to a stop. It was a slight clearing in the middle of the forest. Small, but plenty of open space. He figured that Goth picked it for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on the three of them. As the three northern bats started foraging for any bugs to eat, Goth and Throbb picked a tree at the edge of the clearing, only a few feet away from them. Enough distance that Zak could hear the two males talking.

"Since we've stopped we might as well find something to eat," He heard Throbb say, "I'll look after them, make sure they don't try to-"

"No, that's not going to happen. _I'll_ keep watch, _you_ can find us something to eat." Goth immediately countered, "After the stunt you pulled at the Fire Towers and back at the cave, I don't really trust you to keep an eye on those three. You'll probably just let them leave the moment I'm gone long enough. Don't need a bleeding heart like you risking our lives. We lose them, we're lost out here for good. Now, be a good brother, and go hunt!"

His last word ended in a growl-like tone, the shorter male remaining silent for a moment. The Greywing took a quick glance up from where he was looking, seeing Throbb taking off into the forest, meanwhile Goth remained crouched on a branch, turning his head back towards the clearing. The young adult turned his gaze back down as he found a couple of beetles to eat. During the time they spent looking for food, Shade had shared with him how larvae eggs were also a good alternative if they didn't find anything, they just had to carefully look through the brush and find the small white bulbs stuck on a blade of grass or a leaf.

And Marina showed him that there were grubs that could be dug up, it was just about finding particular spots on the ground. She shared that while they may have bits of dirt still on them, no matter how hard one tries to brush it clean, they were rather tasty. Thanks to that knowledge, Zak was able to scrounge up a decent meal, as well as his friends did. During that time Throbb had returned with what looked like a raven, both males tearing into it to get their sustenance. Only Goth seemed much more aggressive as he ate, snarling as he tore chunks out of the bird, meanwhile Throbb was more reserved and only bit clean even chunks for himself.

"So, guys," Marina whispered, her and Shade crawling over to the Greywing as they huddled together, "What's the plan here? 'Cause I got nothing. Somehow we need to distract Goth and Throbb if we're going to get rid of them."

"I was thinking the same thing," Zak added, "But we have to be more careful this time. He didn't buy Shade's lie when we tried to lead him away, he'll be more cautious of anything we do. It's gotta be something he won't expect. Something he wouldn't suspect us to do."

"I've been thinking of something," Shade responded, a look of contemplation written on his face, "But...I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not."

"What is it?" The Greywing perked up, Marina's ears standing at attention as well.

"C'mon, Shade, what's your plan?"

"We can drug them. Like that sleeping potion Zephyr gave to me when we got into the city!" The Silverwing stated, then running a finger onto his chin as he hummed, "But we'll need the herbs that can do that. And...I didn't see what exactly they looked like."

"They're mostly red leaves, I saw them back at the cathedral." Marina suddenly added, though a look of worry washed over her face, "But, Shade, how are we going to be able to drug them? We can't fool Goth into drinking it, and I don't think Throbb will fall for it, either! We need to figure out a way for it to work!"

"It doesn't have any smell or taste, this should be easy. I just need to find the herbs to make it happen and figure out a good time to use it!"

"Hey!" Goth's deep voice startled them, having somehow flew down and landed not too far from them, "It's time we keep flying before dawn arrives!"

Without another word, but a brief nod to each other, Zak and the others went to join the two Vampyrum. But as they walked by Goth, the young adult didn't miss the suspicious glare cast at him before taking flight. It made him worry. Had Goth been watching them? Listening in? He cursed at himself for not checking to see if that had been the case. Regardless, even if the Vampyrum had been watching, there's no way he would've heard of their plan.

At least he hoped so.

A few more hours had passed in total silence, the only time somebody spoke, which of course was Goth; was him asking Shade if they were still heading the right way. Threatening either Marina or Zak's life if he didn't deliver. During that time they were getting closer and closer to Stonehold, the group spotting a river snaking along the forest floor as it gave way to a small rocky canyon. Shade pointed out that they should be nearing the roost itself.

To say that the canyon was impressive on its own was an understatement. But once Zak saw the abundant number of cave openings and roosting spots, he was truly amazed.

_'So this is where the males sleep while the females look after their young, huh? This is amazing, but, what are the males meant to do when they're here on their own for a period of time?' _Zak though curiously as the group, or rather Goth, chose their resting spot for the day. The sounds of birds chirping signified that dawn was just coming around the corner. The Vampyrum had chosen a rather spacious cave, walls smoothed yet rugged in spots. The Greywing was suddenly drawn against Goth's body as soon as they entered, Throbb taking Shade and Marina.

"This is where the males are supposed to be resting? Well then, where are they? This better not be another trick, Shade." Goth muttered, not sounding at all impressed with the turnout.

"I'm positive, Goth," Shade replied small but confident tone, "We're in Stonehold. I don't know why the males aren't around. But I can smell that they were here."

At that, the taller bat turned his nose to the air and sniffed, "Hmm, seems you're right. Shame we couldn't meet with them. I would've like to see the kind of warriors you have. But, as long as we're headed in the right direction now, that will have to wait. For now we rest for the day. Zak, you'll be sleeping with me. Throbb, you'll have the other two. I'm sure they won't attempt to escape by themselves without leaving their friend behind."

Throbb just gave a silent nod, while Goth kept a slightly firm grip on the young adult's shoulders, the chubbier male seemed more gentle. Only ushering the two teenagers along to their spot for the day, giving a soft, "Come. We'll sleep here."

Marina and Shade gave him a look before turning to a more worried expression for the Greywing. All Zak could do was just give them a supportive nod, "I'll be okay, guys."

"Oh, will you now?" Goth crooned, a smile in his tone that the Greywing could practically hear, "How can you be so sure of that? How do you know that I won't eat you in the middle of the day?"

"Because if you eat me, you're down one person who knows the sound map. And if anything happens to Shade, I'm you're only chance of getting to Hibernaculum. I was given the sound map, too." Zak stated, turning to look right into the Vampyrum's piercing green eyes, "And if you even try to harm Marina in any way? You can kiss the last shred of the sound map goodbye. Otherwise?"

Zak couldn't believe he did it, but he pointed to himself, then he proceeded to graze his thumb across his throat. Giving a very clear indication of what he would do to himself if his friends were harmed before him.

At that Goth's smile faltered. He seemed almost surprised by the implications, but then gave a slight huff and a grin, "Hm. As noble as ever, aren't you? And you seem serious about that threat, as well. Fine. If you're willing to go so far to keep us from finding your colony, then no harm will come to you and your friends. But mark my words. You try and trick me again, I don't care if I get lost in this damned winter hell. I will eat every single one of you. Even Throbb. Are we at an agreement?"

The Greywing didn't say anything for a moment before responding with a simple and straight answer, "Agreed."

Satisfied with the answer, the Vampyrum picked him up by his shoulders before sitting with his back leaned up against the smoothed wall of the cave. Then placing the Greywing onto his chest and stomach, wrapping his arms around him snugly. Seemed like he really wanted to make sure, as a precaution, that nobody escaped. Meanwhile with Throbb, Shade and Marina, the pot-bellied Vampyrum took the same position, but unlike his brother he didn't have the pair forcefully held against him. Rather, it seemed like he was letting them have the choice of sleeping right next to him or not.

Unfortunately, before either of them could make a choice, Goth quickly barked, "Sleep close to Throbb. Both of you. Remember what I told you."

"No escaping, yes, we know." Marina sighed, looking very uncomfortable as she knelt down and sat close to the Vampyrum's side, "Ugh, I don't know how he expects us to sleep like this."

Shade shared in her discomfort, flinching from the lightest movement Throbb made as he settled down, giving the older male a light glare, "Me neither. How do we know you won't just eat one of us in your sleep?"

"I swear, nothing is going to happen to either of you," Throbb said softly, earning a scoff from Goth, "Let's just get some rest for the day, yes? We'll need our sleep to be aware and alert. I'm not forcing either of you to trust me, you have every right not to, but at least trust me when I say a good day's sleep will do wonders for you."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say." Marina drawled in a deadpan fashion, settling her back against Throbb's side and belly.

"Like I can get to sleep like this. Sleeping right next to a cannibal and all." Shade groaned, resting his shoulder against the male's soft middle.

Throbb just sighed and said no more. And Zak couldn't blame them. Already he was feeling quite warm, almost too warm, with Goth's arms and wings covering most of his body except for his shoulders and head. Even he had no idea how long it would be before he was able to fall asleep normally.

But, granted, the warmth was rather nice once he got used to it.

* * *

**A couple hours later...**

* * *

Both Shade and Marina were snoring softly along with Throbb, the teens having fallen asleep surprisingly easily only half an hour into the dawn. The Silverwing had his head rested right onto the Vampyrum's belly as it was, surprisingly, very comfortable; while the Brightwing's head and upper body had slid down to his chest and mane. Both gave the occasional mutter in their sleep, all the while Throbb just slept peacefully along with them.

But on the other side of the cave, Zak was restless. He was asleep, but the constant shifting of his body and the turning of his head said otherwise. Goth, on the other hand, was growing slightly annoyed at the interruption to his sleep. The adult gazed down at the groaning Greywing with a sneer, lifting an arm to try and see what the commotion was all about.

Zak was panting softly. Incoherent mutters leaving his lips.

Nightmares, Goth thought, of course he was having nightmares. But why now when he was trying to get some sleep? The Vampyrum just lifted up the young adult, being extra careful not to wake him up, and set him onto the stone floor. Without feeling him constantly wriggling around, he could get to sleep easier. Despite his warning before, Goth felt confident that not even the Greywing would dare to leave behind his friends. It was painfully obvious that he cared about the two little ones.

But then he remembered something else. The Vampyrum sniffed softly, smelling the bat's scent that settled onto his chest. It reminded him of the first time he caught the scent. Only it had been the wind that blew the young adult's scent towards him. He turned and looked at the muttering northerner, then as curiousity got the better of him, Goth knelt down close to the Greywing. Then he began to sniff at his hair and fur.

Now that he had the chance, he wanted to investigate the young man's scent further. Why did he smell so much like a Human? Amongst the other scents of the trees, bit of dirt and the last remnants of something salty, that one particular stench remained the most prominent. With each deep inhale Goth took, the more it reminded him of the horrid visage of the Humans and their tools they used against him. He remembered the man in the white coat, the lightning sticks they used to stun him, the awful darts used to force him into a deep sleep.

Then he remembered how Zak seemed to know quite a bit about there being 'friendly' Humans, as well as the 'rubber bands' he spoke of. The knowledge of the shelter he had come from. And, very recently, how he said he wouldn't 'run' away. Did he mean 'fly'? Why would he say that?

He took another deep sniff, his nose nearly touching Zak's mane, as he took in that strong scent. Then he stopped. Staring down at the sleeping male with a sudden newfound hatred. Another thing he remembered was how quickly the Humans in the lab seemed to heal if he managed to scratch or bite one of them when they had exposed skin. They put some sort of salve or a wrapping to stop the bleeding. Goth remembered the wound he left on Zak back at the Fire Towers, leaning over the Greywing to peer at the shoulder his claw had grazed.

To his utter shock, having not even noticed it since they captured the trio, what was supposed to be a still very fresh wound was now healed. A large scar being left in its place.

"You," He growled quietly, a look of rage washing over his face as he grit his teeth, "You're a Human? How? How in Zotz is this...possible?!"

He knew that the Humans might've been looking for some way to steal the very secrets of his kind, such as their keen nightvision and echolocation. But for them to somehow evolve into having a Human turned into a bat? To deceive them? That was an entirely new low. The Vampyrum just snarled silently, fighting the urge to murder the Human turned bat right at his most vulnerable. He was slowly reaching towards the Greywing, tempted to just hold him by his face...and crush his skull with one hand alone.

It would be easy. His two puny friends would have no idea. He'd just tell them that he up and abandoned them, showing he wasn't as loyal of a friend as they thought. He'd make a good meal. Goth was hungering for more bat meat.

But he stopped. Hand shaking, almost like it was struggling to go through with the deed or hold back, Goth quietly groaning and growling as his hand hovered over the abomination's face. His hand shook more violently before finally withdrawing with a sharp gasp.

Not now, he thought, but later. Later he would personally eliminate the Human. He just needed to calm down and get to sleep. Being tired would cost him.

But he was still reeling at the revelation.

Zak. A Human in a bat's body.

It was despicable. But he would bide his time before killing him. It brought satisfaction to the Vampyrum imagining the look of terror and pain on the disguised Human's face. So much so that it lulled Goth to sleep, resting comfortably against the cave wall.

All the while Zak was left where he was. Dreaming.


	15. Smoke & Mirrors Pt2

**Chapter 11: Smoke and Mirrors (Part 2)**

* * *

**Zak awoke staring at the smoothed rock ceiling. He didn't know what had roused him from his slumber, but it felt as if he had barely slept at all. He rubbed his eyes to get the blurriness out of them, before suddenly remembering where he was. He turned to see if his charges were alright and whether or not Throbb had harmed them while he slept.**

**They weren't there. Looking to where Goth was sleeping, his worry only grew as even the other Vampyrum was absent. Did they take Shade and Marina somewhere? Were they still safe? The Greywing frantically turned to the entrance and made to fly.**

**Only to pause at what he saw.**

**Instead of a drop and the rest of Stonehold out in front of him, there was solid ground connected to where the cave floor should've ended. And further ahead he could make out what looked like a town.**

**"What in the world?" He whispered to himself as he slowly left the confines of the cave, "I'm...home?"**

**As Zak left the cave behind, it slowly dawned on him that the buildings around were indeed very familiar. It was his hometown. Somehow, it was all there. It didn't phase him, or rather it didn't even register at all, when he turned around and saw that the cave had completely vanished. Now only an empty and foggy street was left behind.**

**But why was he back here? And where was everybody?**

**As he walked down the lonely street, it took him a moment to realize that the soft clicking of claws on concrete were replaced with a more padded sound. Like shoes. He looked down curiously before a soft noise of surprise left him.**

**He was human again. His familiar and favorite pair of shoes, his jeans, and even his dark grey undershirt complete with a black hoodie and wool overcoat. What he had been wearing before his transformation.**

**The young man even had to feel his face to realize that he really was back to normal. No short muzzle, no long pointed ears and no fur, aside from his head of hair. But, still, he was confused and worried why he was back like this.**

**Zak didn't plan any further before he turned to the direction he had become familiar with and took off running. It was his dream, so his home had to be there. But as he ran through the manifestation of the town, he couldn't help but feel very unsettled at the utter silence and fog that surrounded him.**

**He was on the outskirts, and following the road he had always walked when heading to work. Because of the short distance, he never really desired a car. Plus it was good exercise.**

**Soon, he was there. A two-floor home, rather modest and nice. It was near the dense forest and a decent distance from the beaches that ran along the coast of the town itself. It felt almost...alien. Being back at his house in his own dream.**

**He didn't know why he felt the need to come here. What was there to find? But he found himself walking forward to the front door, going at a pace like he was stepping on egg shells the closer he got.**

**'_Why am I feeling so nervous? This is my house, I shouldn't be feeling like this.'_**

**But as he took hold of the handle he noticed something as he turned it. The door had little decorative windows, and there was still enough decent lighting from outside despite the fog. But yet it seemed pitch black inside the house. Zak nervously licked his lips before opening the door fully and striding inside despite his better judgement.**

**To his utter confusion, he didn't enter the foyer like he was expecting. Instead, he found himself stepping into a forest clearing that came into focus once he passed the threshold of the door. It slammed shut, causing him to jump and look back. The door had disappeared. Now he was left alone in this strange, empty and eerily quiet place.**

**A twig snapped from one of the trees off to his left. It was a small sound, yet it startled him far more then the door.**

**"Who's there?!" He gasped, immediately cursing at himself for giving away his own position, but he relaxed when he saw the individual stepping out of view. The familiar head of orange and blond hair was a relief, "Ariel! Oh, thank goodness, I thought you were something else."**

**Zak watched as the adult female stood in full view. He half expected her to greet him and ask him what was wrong. But, to his worry and slight discomfort, she only greeted him with an icy glare.**

**"Ariel? Why are you looking at me like that?"**

**"A Human," She spoke, disgust evident in her tone, "This whole time you were one of them?"**

**The young man inwardly flinched from her words, realizing that she was talking about his real appearance. He tried to form words to explain his situation, but she cut him off.**

**"Not another word! This whole time. This entire...time! Was it not enough that you destroy our forests? Now you try and destroy our kind from within?"**

**"What? Ariel, no, it's not like that!" Zak gasped, "I'm not like the other humans, I swear! I know that doesn't bring much comfort, but you have to believe me!"**

**"And why should we?" A new voice joined, coming from behind the young adult and seeing Frieda emerge from behind another tree, "Ariel is right. Humans have caused nothing but destruction. Forests are decimated. Land is poisoned and taken from the animals. Your very machines taint the air itself. You claim to be a better Human. But how can we trust you?"**

**"You have every right not to trust me, but please believe me when I say that I'm not like the others! I don't mean any of you any harm!" Zak was grasping at straws already, the words of both Ariel and Frieda were tearing into him like glass. Truthful, but they hurt. He failed to notice that the more they verbally assaulted him, his skin began to tear and fall off in pieces.**

**There was no pain, but it scared him to see it coming apart so easily. Especially as his clothes followed.**

**"You Humans are nothing but trouble!" He could hear Bathsheba's voice now, "You cause nothing but pain and grief to our kind!"**

**Only more and more voices began to fill the air, most of which Zak didn't even recognize. But others he could just faintly pick up over them. He heard Chinook, Todd, Breeze, Bartho and even Ben's voices.**

**"We've lost good bats from your machines!"**

**"Some have been poisoned from what your kind leaves behind."**

**"Homes have been destroyed!"**

**"You're no better then the rest of them."**

**"We can't trust a Human living among us!"**

**Their voices were overlapping now, the human cowering from the piercing glares that were being shot his way, more and more of his skin falling away as his bat form returned. He tried, desperately, to tell them again that he wasn't like the humans that they heard about. That he wasn't bad. He didn't want to hurt nature or the animals. That he even hated his human life.**

**But it was all for naught. Zak could only try to cover his ears and shut his eyes to drown out the numerous voices spouting hateful words. Pleading with them to stop, to let him explain, anything that would quiet them down. As suddenly as the multitude of voices began, they stopped. Leaving him in an uncomfortable silence.**

**He released his ears and anxiously looked around. The forest was gone, as were Ariel and the other bats. Only a black void was all around him. Zak looked over himself, shuddering at the last few tatters of his skin and clothing.**

**A tingle went up his back as he sensed another presence from behind him. He whirled around, coming face to face with Shade. The teen was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Though his eyes alone spoke volumes. They looked unsure, afraid and somehow a little angry.**

**"Shade?" Zak whispered, "You're not mad at me, too, are you? You know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you or your colony, right? I want to help you! Protect you! I know that I can't do much as one person alone, but the least I can do is protect you and Marina until we get to your colony. Right?"**

**Shade didn't answer him right away. Instead, only sighing and shaking his head.**

**"How can you protect us?" He replied, giving a more mournful expression at the older male, "You're only Human, after all. You can't always keep us safe. And you can barely take care of yourself with the way you are." As the Silverwing talked, Zak noticed what looked like fingers coming up over his shoulders.**

**"Shade. Shade! Shade, behind you, watch out!" The Greywing yelled out, but the eerie hands suddenly grasped the teen's body and pulled him into the darkness behind him, "Shade!"**

**He made to go after and save his friend, but a new jarring noise rang out into the void.**

**The sound of bone cracking. The wet sound of what could only be flesh being torn apart. He was frozen on the spot as the sounds rang through his core. But then his heart leapt in his throat as a pair of piercing glowing green eyes suddenly appeared ahead of him. And they were much larger then he thought.**

**He knew those eyes. He didn't have to guess who they belonged to as they moved closer, closer, and closer. Until the horrific visage of Goth's burned and scarred face appeared. Grinning that same terrifying smile at him. But what was worse was that the Greywing could only see his face.**

**The rest of his body was absent. He looked like a disembodied head.**

**His voice, now almost sounding more demonic, rumbled; showing his razor-sharp teeth that dripped with fresh blood, and said droplets running down his lips and chin as he spoke.**

** "Your little friend is right, my dear boy. You can't always protect them. They will be mine eventually. As will you. And there's not a thing you can do to stop me."**

**Suddenly Goth began to snarl before his jaws opened unnaturally wide with unsettling creaks and cracks of bone, his eyes rolling up into his head, then from within his throat two tendrils shot out towards the Greywing. One went for Zak's legs and quickly pulled him right off his feet before it began to drag him towards Goth's mouth, meanwhile the second tendril went somewhere further behind him. But his horror only increased as he saw who else had been grabbed, the bright orange fur of Marina appearing in the darkness, kicking and screaming fearfully as she was dragged alongside him.**

**She turned her gaze to the Greywing with wide frightened eyes, herself being pulled much faster then he was, her hands grasping at non-existent ground desperately, "Zak, help me! Help me! Please!"**

**"I can't! Oh God! Marina, hang on!" Zak yelled back desperately, turning to look at the gaping maw of the Vampyrum. Only to pale as something, no, someone seemed to be crawling out of Goth's throat. Then to his horrified realization, saw that they weren't just tendrils, they were arms. Elongated. Unnaturally so. And they were attached to another very familiar bat.**

**The purple hair and the short muzzled face was an obvious clue.**

**Throbb opened his eyes, his sockets glowing like embers in a fire as he gave a wide and sadistic smile, only cackling as he pulled the two bats closer and closer to their doom. Marina could only scream and claw at nothing as she was pulled into Goth's throat, her cries fading away before Zak himself was being pulled up into the cannibal's mouth.**

**He couldn't form any words, only giving fearful yells and shouts as he grabbed at Goth's lower fangs in an attempt to prevent himself from being eaten. Only for Throbb's grip to wrench him free and pulling him along deeper inside.**

**The last thing he saw was the back of Goth's teeth. He made one last pitiful attempt to reach for freedom before the giant's mouth abruptly slammed shut, plunging the Greywing into darkness.**

**— —**

He shot up from his nightmare with a sharp gasp, heart pounding in his chest. He quickly turned to his surroundings and found that he was back in the cave again, but this time he knew he was back in reality. Over in one corner of the cave he saw Throbb, Shade and Marina still sleeping. The two teens looked surprisingly comfy with the larger bat.

The Greywing turned back ahead of him and saw Goth, sleeping while sitting upright against the cave wall. Strangely, the young man felt relieved that he was back with them. Turning to the cave entrance, he noticed it looked a little brighter outside, the sounds of the birds singing their song. If he was guessing correctly, it looked like it was midday. Still too early for them to keep moving. He stayed sitting for a moment longer, waiting for his racing heart to settle down before he got up.

His back felt a little sore. He must've somehow slipped out of Goth's grasp and stayed sleeping on the cold stone. Quietly padding over to the cave's entrance he settled himself down on the ledge and simply looked over the scenery in front of him. Stonehold was a very interesting place. He wondered if the Silverwing males had carved out all these caves themselves for generations.

That, or perhaps they just made some additions from the caves that already existed here. He wasn't sure. But he was impressed with how huge and open this location was. A lot of room to fly around comfortably without getting exposed to too much animals up top. Plenty of privacy, as well.

Zak just sat there, listening to the sounds all around, from the birds chirping, to the river rippling down below; even the soft breathing and snores coming from behind him.

Until he heard someone shuffling and yawning.

"Nightmares?" Goth rumbled, casting a glance towards him, "You were muttering in your sleep."

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, sorry about that. Just...a really unsettling nightmare, that's for sure." Zak replied evenly, not sure why he felt the need to apologize or speak in such a casual manner to the cannibal.

"Everybody has them," The adult muttered, then grinned smugly before adding, "But not me. If I let myself be afraid from mere dreams then I wouldn't exactly be the best prince now, would I?"

The Greywing fought the urge to roll his eyes, but managed to hold back, "I see. So you rarely ever dream, huh? Not even good dreams?"

"Oh, no, I do have good dreams," Goth quickly countered with a chuckle, "Good dreams I can handle as they empower and encourage me. Want to hear of one I just had today?"

Zak only answered with a shrug, the Vampyrum answering with a more nonchalant shrug of his own.

"Well, in this dream, it was particularly good. I dreamt that I had the most exciting and satisfying hunt of my life," He purred softly, his grin growing, "See, this prey was very difficult to catch, somehow able to evade every single one of my strikes and staying one wingbeat ahead of me. And I'm getting frustrated and angry. Because no prey, none, can escape me. No matter how skilled they are."

The more the Vampyrum talked and how his expression changed with his words, the more unsettled Zak began to grow. Where was this going?

"But after spending a lot of time chasing my prey, I finally caught them. And can you guess who it was?" The larger bat waited, almost in a sadistic joy before continuining, "It was you."

Zak's heart rate had begun to pick up again.

"Now, my dream brought me so much joy to have finally caught you. Especially when that dream can potentially come true. Not only that, but it'll be so much more satisfying. Knowing what you really are, after all." Goth was speaking in a softer voice now, but it still held a threatening undertone, "That...peculiar scent. I knew there was something about you that didn't sit right with me. At first I believed it to merely be the lingering stench of those so-called 'good' Humans."

Zak still didn't answer. Only remaining frozen where he sat, just his eyes glancing in Goth's general direction, "Did you really think you could've fooled me for long? That I wouldn't find out eventually? I may be new to shapeshifting Humans like you, but I'm not stupid. You did well to hide your identity for this long. But now that I know your secret, Zak? I finally have an excuse to kill you."

He swallowed. His mouth suddenly felt dry. There was a lump in his throat. He was starting to sweat from the anxiety coursing through him.

"But the best thing about that?" There was a smile in his words, "I'm not going to tell you when the moment arrives. I want to relish in the fact that your true Human identity is known to me. I want to see you squirm in fear at the reality that your insignificant life could be snuffed out with just my hand alone."

The Greywing was steadily growing more and more unsettled, the tingle running along down his back now. He got the sudden and disturbing feeling that someone was already reaching towards his head. He imagined sharp claws coming to wrap their deadly grip around him.

He sharply turned, only finding Goth still sitting in the same spot. But his eyes just stared right back at him, a cold grin on his face. They just stared at one another for a moment more, before Goth shifted and got comfortable.

"You should try and go back to sleep," The Vampyrum purred, already closing his eyes, "We got a long flight ahead of us, methinks. Sweet dreams, Zak. You'll need them."

Zak didn't sleep. Not after what he had just heard.

Goth knew. He knew what he really was.

"Shit."

* * *

**Several hours later...**

* * *

Things had been tense ever since the group had left Stonehold. With the two Vampyrum keeping an eye on the trio, it was bound to be that way. Goth would keep watch over them while Throbb left to find something they could both eat, which was always a small animal that provided plenty of meat.

During that time, Shade and Marina had noticed Zak's red and tired eyes. They had asked him if he was okay but all they received was a quick but unsteady answer that he was fine, keeping his eyes down as they hunted for their food. Even during the flight, the Greywing barely spared a glance in Goth's direction, like he was actively avoiding looking into his eyes. He didn't talk very much, either.

When twilight arrived, they had stopped yet again to eat and get their strength back. Marina was searching for grubs when Zak shuffled over to her.

"Marina. I know I said everything was fine earlier tonight, but, I have to be honest. It's not fine. I'm not fine. It's-...crap. It's Goth. He knows. I'm pretty sure he knows."

"Huh? Knows what?" She asked, tilting her head in worry.

"What do you think? About me being a human!" He whispered sharply in return. He cast a quick glance towards the tree the Vampyrum were resting on, then quickly looking back at Marina, "I think he finally figured it out from my scent alone, I don't know how else he could've known. He pretty much admitted to me that...t-that he...he wants to kill me. He's toying with me, Marina! I haven't slept at all I was so scared he'd do something while I was asleep! Whatever we have to do to get away from them, we need to do it right away and fast!"

At that, Marina had no verbal response. Only a look of tense worry written on her face. This complicated things, she thought. They needed to find the right time in order to drug Goth and Throbb, otherwise it would be the end of all of them. And they needed to find the leaves that would make their plan work.

But so far, neither she nor Shade had found them. At least not yet.

After relaying what she had been told to the Silverwing, they were on the move again. Goth would ask Shade if they were still headed in the right direction. Making sure that there were no more tricks being played against them.

But unknown to the Vampyrum, Shade was doing just that in order to buy his colony more time. Before they had left Stonehold he had told Goth that they needed to head southeast, deviating from the original path by only a little. As long as he kept hold of the direction they were flying in, Goth wouldn't suspect a thing.

At least he hoped so. They kept flying for awhile, losing track of time by watching the trees go by below them. But it wasn't long before Goth's snarling broke the silence.

"We haven't seen anything in the past hour, Shade. If this is another trick, I swear to Zotz I'll-!"

"It's not a trick, Goth! I swear!" Shade quickly replied, "We're still headed in the right direction! We just keep heading this way until we hit a patch of land that the Humans took all the trees from, and from there we take a right. I'm not lying to you. I swear on my life."

The Silverwing and Vampyrum stared at each other for several seconds, Goth gauging whether or not what he was hearing was really the truth. Shade, however, kept his gaze steady. Keeping his face stiff yet confident. Zak and Marina, even Throbb, could only watch the exchange before Goth gave a soft grunt.

A small grin with a brow raised graced his scarred features.

"I'm impressed, Shade. You've gotten braver since our last encounter. If you and your friends hadn't tried to kill me, I'd say you truly were fit to be a warrior. Lead on. We'll keep flying a little further before we make another stop."

At the thought of food, the Silverwing suddenly began to remember what the Vampyrum had talked to him about days ago. How his species grew to be big and strong. As they continued on, Shade spoke up again.

"Goth? The way your colony lives down south. What other ways do your kind grow stronger? Aside from being in the sunlight all the time, I mean."

The smile returned on Goth's muzzle as soon as the question was asked, "Well, my dear Shade, while sunlight is one main ingredient; it's also a steady diet of meat helps. It gives us energy and much needed protein for our bodies. Why do you ask? Are you reconsidering my offer from before?"

"Maybe." The Silverwing mused, "It's just...I hate being this small. Needing to be constantly protected and treated like a baby. Not being able to use my full strength. Unable to hunt for myself. I want to be strong, I really do! I want to be like you!"

As he talked, he was unaware of the concerned looks his friends were giving him, "I'm nowhere near as strong and as big as you, Goth. But I want to be. Could you help me? How do I start?"

There was no immediate answer from the adult. Only the same grin before the Vampyrum shifted his gaze towards him.

"Once we stop for another meal break, I'll show you."

— —

Zak never felt so on edge. He thought he and his friends being chased by owls was scary enough. Then they were chased and nearly killed by Goth, that was twice as terrifying. But becoming the cannibal prince's number one enemy? It felt so much worse.

The danger tingle was nearly driving him insane. All he could do was fidget and wring his hands together to keep them from shaking, unlike the rest of his body.

When they stopped for another break Goth had insisted on hunting and bringing Shade along with him, leaving Throbb in charge of watching over the two northern bats. The Greywing tried to calm himself, but being in the presence of the other adult, it was difficult to not panic. But it brought some relief to know that the Vampyrum wasn't physically restraining them.

But only a little. Seeing Shade go off hunting with Goth didn't bring any comfort to Marina and him.

He flinched when Throbb suddenly rumbled, "Is something wrong, Zak? You've been quiet ever since we left Stonehold."

"Why do you care?" He muttered, not looking the Vampyrum in the eye, "After we deliver what Goth wants you're only going to eat us afterward. So don't act like you want us to be safe."

"Zak, please, if you'd just listen for a moment, I can tell you truly that I do care for yours and your friends well-being," Throbb implored, reaching out to the Greywing, "I know what Shade saw me do, and I don't blame you all for not trusting me after. But please believe me when I say that I'm trying to protect you-,"

His large paw only made the lightest touch on the his shoulder. But it was enough to make the young adult suddenly jerk away and shoot a fearful look at the larger bat, "**Don't-!** Don't...touch me."

Throbb looked just as surprised from the reaction, but he withdrew his hand with a soft and quiet apology. It was starting to irritate the Greywing at how much the Vampyrum was trying to appear hurt by his and Marina's interactions against him. He was doing a good job, that much was for certain. He had to be trying to get them off of their guard, Zak thought.

No way would a cannibal really care about them. As far as the Greywing knew, he and his friends were merely backup snacks.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Marina touched his upper arm, "Hey, just breathe and try to relax. You're going to make yourself pass out at this rate."

"You know why I can't," Zak quickly countered, keeping his voice hushed as they moved further away from the Vampyrum, "As long as Shade is with Goth, and we're stuck here with Throbb, I can't relax. I can't! And wha-what the hell was Shade even talking about earlier? It sounds like he's wanting to join these two assholes despite knowing what they are! I don't know if he's gone crazy or if he's turning against us!"

"Whoa, whoa, Zak, just calm down! We don't know that! And, I don't know what that word means, but if it insults Goth and Throbb then I agree with you on that." Marina tried to ease his worries, but it was obvious that she was just as worried for their friend then he was, "But we can't jump to conclusions with Shade. For all we know, he's trying to get on Goth's good side only so we can try and distract him. Alright? Now, c'mon, big guy. Breathe. You've been worked up almost the entire night. If you don't pass out, you'll make yourself sick worrying about the situation. At least try to relax, okay?"

Now that she mentioned it, he did start to feel a little nauseous. He could feel his stomach churn painfully.

Okay, maybe he was a little more nauseous then he realized. Marina was right. He needed to calm down. Rest. He began to breathe in and out with slow breaths, needing to crouch down to better help himself.

This did not feel good at all. The young adult wrapped his arms around his stomach as it ached, the stress having gotten to him long before he had realized it. But the rest was very brief as they heard wingbeats coming their way. Goth and Shade had returned from their hunt together, the Silverwing looking noticeably conflicted while the Vampyrum looked proud of himself. As evident by the meal he was carrying for himself and Throbb.

He dropped it to the ground right in front of them, Marina stifling a horrified gasp as they saw what exactly Goth had caught. It was another bat. A Brightwing, yet again. Zak just looked at the corpse with a shocked but sympathetic eyes. It had to have been a straggler, he thought. He dearly hoped that Goth hadn't grabbed them while they were with their colony.

He shook his head before turning to look at Shade. The teen barely even looked at him and Marina, turning himself away as Goth began the grisly process of cutting away the fur and skin to get at the Brightwing's meat, blood beginning to flow as he cut deeper.

"Normally, my brother and I would just eat the way it is," Goth said as he worked, "But since this is your first time wanting to try what we eat, Shade, I want to make sure it is only best experience for you. No hair getting in your mouth and whatnot."

The way he talked, the way he smiled, it sickened Zak even further. It was like Goth was taking joy out of this entire experience. But what made it worse was how Shade, despite not giving a verbal answer, only nodded in agreement with him. Why was he going along with this so readily? He dearly hoped that Marina was right and that the Silverwing was just trying to fool the cannibal. He wouldn't really eat bat meat. Would he?

But after a moment of silence and Goth slicing away the skin, the Vampyrum stood up and presented the newly prepared meal.

"It's all ready for you, Shade," He purred, kneeling down close beside the boy and resting a hand on his shoulder, "This will be your first step into becoming a true warrior like our species. The meat, the blood, the very flesh will strengthen you and help you grow."

"Goth," Throbb uttered worriedly, "I'm not sure about this. His species wasn't meant to eat meat. What if it makes him sick?"

"That's not for you to decide." Goth growled lowly, glowering at his sibling before looking back at Shade, who only stared at the bloody body in front of him, "It's his decision in the end of what he wants. You want to be strong and powerful like my kind, don't you? Well, take the first step, Shade."

After standing up and moving aside, Shade himself moved closer to the body. Zak and Marina could only look on in mute shock and horror as their friend leaned down close to the exposed flesh, and seemed to take a moment to sniff and take in the metallic scent of blood. Goth just uttered sadistically sweet encouragement.

"Yes, do you smell it, Shade?" Goth purred, "The life-giving liquid that flows through our very veins. Breathe it in. Let it coax out your inner senses as a predator. Let it fuel your need for meat."

The Silverwing seemed to do just that, closing his eyes and taking a slow deep breath. He hummed softly, almost as if he was savoring the smell. He still seemed conflicted as he winced. The Greywing and Brightwing spared another quick glance at one another before they saw what Shade did next.

And it only horrified them. It looked as if the teen was beginning to drool. Droplets of saliva leaking from his mouth and down his chin as he eyed the bat's corpse once more. A new hunger blazing in his eyes as he leaned down and seemed to consider where to bite first, still salivating heavily onto the meat.

"Shade, no," Marina whispered, "Don't! What're you-?!"

"Shade, wait!" Zak gasped.

But before he could say anything further...it happened.

With a shockingly deep growl the Silverwing suddenly lunged forward and took hold of a chunk of flesh near the bat's ribs, snarling while he shook his head in a feral fashion to tear it off. Zak could hear the female beside him gasp through her hands, but he couldn't take his eyes away from what he was seeing.

Shade almost seemed like he enjoyed that first bite, chewing for a moment before swallowing. Then with just as much fervor he dove back down again and bit off another piece, then another, blood steadily dripping down his chin; growling as he did so. All the while Goth praised and encouraged him further, but his words didn't reach Zak's ears as he could only stare at the scene before him.

Teeth stained red now, Shade finished off one final bite before standing up and moving away from the corpse, showing that he was finished with what he wanted for the time being. Goth merely gave a slow clap with a dark chuckle leaving his lips. Throbb only stared in mute shock.

"Very good, my boy. Very good. That's as good a start as any." He praised, he and his brother moving in to kneel near their meal, "You've surprised me, Shade. I didn't think you'd have it in you to eat one of your own kind. There's definitely a place for you in my army once we've reached Hibernaculum."

With that, the two males began their own feast, tearing into the dead Brightwing. Zak and Marina could only stare as the other teen stepped away and finally turned his eyes towards them. The young adult could feel the female move closer to him, holding his arm for safety. He could sense the look of disgust and hatred she was giving Shade.

"Why...? Why, Shade? Why...would you do this?" Was all Marina could say. The Silverwing didn't answer her, only staring before sighing. He just lifted a hand to wipe the blood off of his chin as he frowned.

"I don't want to be weak anymore. I don't need anyone's help. I'll be strong. Whatever it takes."

Zak just shook his head, not taking his eyes off of him, "This...is the worst way...you could have gone, Shade."

The shorter bat didn't have an answer that time. Only frowning before flying off to a nearby tree to roost at. Both Zak and Marina looked at each other, sharing in the cold feeling that washed over them. It almost felt as if they had lost a friend.

— —

Only an hour had gone by before Goth declared that it was time to rest for the night. Zak couldn't help but think it was strange, only because they still had at least three to four hours of night to fly in. But the Vampyrum insisted. He and Throbb had suddenly grown tired, most likely an effect from having a full meal of bat meat. In a way it made sense.

As usual, like the previous night, Goth ordered the Greywing to sleep with him and his friends to sleep with his brother. Almost immediately the chubby male had fallen asleep, as did the larger Vampyrum the moment they found a comfortable spot to rest in. Being trapped in Goth's arms, Zak could only sigh and get comfortable himself, glancing over to see how Shade and Marina were faring out.

It wasn't pleasant. After he had blatantly eaten bat meat to impress Goth, and seemingly for his own personal gain, neither the Greywing nor Marina had said a single word to him after. Her, especially. Once they had found a place to roost she said it was already bad enough sleeping near one cannibal, making it clear she was referring to Shade. Her tone was quiet but had a razor's edge to it.

But she wasn't the only one who had been affected by the horrific sight. Zak himself had barely spoken to or looked at his friend. Only giving him the briefest of glances during their short flight. Now, he could only look at the teen as he was turned away from both him and Marina. But now wasn't the time to think about it.

Barely minutes passed after he had closed his eyes that his ears picked up the sound of someone moving. He had only managed to lift his head up before he caught the sight of Shade suddenly rushing outside of the roost. Despite what happened, the Greywing was still worried for the young one's safety as he wriggled out of Goth's wings and followed, Marina doing the same out of curiousity as she left Throbb's side.

There was a sound of liquid spilling onto the ground and the noises of the teen gagging. The two of them were greeted to the sight of Shade hunched over on the ground and a puddle of sick right in front of him. The Greywing didn't need to look at it long to realize that he was throwing up the meat from earlier.

Despite what had happened earlier, Zak immediately went to Shade's side and began to rub his back as another wave of sickly heaves left the teen's body. Even after emptying every ounce of fluid in his stomach, there was a minute of more dry heaving before he had finally seemed to settle down.

He had never seen anyone like this before and the older sibling within him was worried. Shade needed a moment to catch his breath, before he gladly settled against Zak's warm body. There was a moment of silence before he spoke up, his voice small and scratchy from his vomiting episode.

"I-I...I'm s-sorry, guys." He shivered, "I didn't want to...do that. I hated it."

"Didn't want to? Hated it?" Marina repeated, her tone still rather sharp and upset but keeping quite due to the two Vampyrum sleeping just behind them, "You seemed totally willing to eat meat to impress Goth! You didn't even spit it out or get sick!"

"Because it was the only way I could make the plan work." Shade wheezed, weakly glaring at the female before nestling back against the Greywing, "I had to make sure Goth didn't suspect anything."

The answer caught both older bats off-guard, Marina look more surprised, "What?"

Zak thought back to the moment before Shade had dug into the dead Brightwing. The plan was to drug the two larger bats, but he didn't recall seeing any of the red leaves around to make the sleeping potion. And when the Greywing thought about it further, he noticed the whole time that Shade hadn't opened his mouth until he started eating. And he had been drooling quite a bit, which made the whole act look convincing.

Unless it wasn't actually drool.

Then it finally clicked. The Greywing couldn't help but let a tiny chuckle escape, glancing back in the squirrel den where the two Vampyrum still slept. They hadn't even stirred from the three northerners having left in a rushed manner. Just to make sure they were truly in a deep drugged slumber, the young adult went back and carefully snapped his fingers in each ear of the cannibals. When they didn't react to it, still snoozing away in peace, it confirmed his suspicions.

"Shade drugged them," Zak said in quiet astonishment from the ingenuity of their friend, "He found the leaves, chewed them and kept the juice mixture in his mouth. The drooling? That was the potion."

Marina finally seemed to understand what had been done and looked back at Shade with a much softer expression, "Shade. You mean you...? Why couldn't you give us a hint at what you were trying to do? I was scared that you were...you know."

"Sorry I didn't warn you guys earlier, but I thought it would be better not to," The Silverwing sighed, "Or else Goth would've known something was up and kill us before we can get away. And I tried to be careful that I didn't bite anywhere that had the potion on it."

It still took the Brightwing a moment to fully comprehend the huge risk that their friend had taken. There was no lie, both she and Zak had been convinced that Shade was turning his back on them and even his own family and colony. So convincing that she was nearly starting to hate him.

Now she just felt foolish for being angry with him. She patted Shade's shoulder in a gentle manner, "Sorry for, uh, what I said to you earlier, Shade. I mean, can you really blame me for reacting the way I did?"

The Silverwing only shrugged, but then nodded. Zak could tell from the look on his face that he did understand. Even if the words spoken before had stung him a little. Then he remembered that the Vampyrum were still sleeping, "Hey, I don't mean to interrupt this moment, but we should get out of here while we can. We need to get as much distance from them as possible."

They were back in the air shortly after. It was a great relief not only for Shade and Marina, but for Zak as well, to fly without having to worry about having two cannibal bats watching over them like hawks. They still had to be mindful that the sleeping potion wouldn't last forever, of course. But for the time being, they were able to travel on the right path for the remainder of the night. Along the way, the trio finally had the chance to properly talk.

"That was a huge risk you were taking, Shade." The older bat directed to the Silverwing, "You were lucky Goth had believed you at all."

"I second that, but I have to admit, it was a good plan to trick him the way you did," Marina said with a small grin, "When you mentioned why you wouldn't tell us? I can understand that. I'm not a very good liar, to be honest. You would not believe how many times I got into trouble and couldn't lie my way out of it."

"Neither am I," Zak added with a small laugh, then grimaced slowly, "If you did tell us the plan, there's no guarantee that he'd let us live after that. No siree."

"I know, you guys, and again I'm sorry for that. I found the leaves while hunting and I had to make a choice. It was either try and fool them into eating them and say that it was a salad. Or get the potion ready myself and try not to accidentally swallow it and not let Goth know what I was hiding. Had to go with the second option. Even if it meant having to go, ugh, a little farther then I planned." Shade shuddered, still a little pale from earlier.

Nobody said anything else. The shock of seeing the young teen eating bat meat still hadn't fully worn off yet. It was Marina that broke the silence by asking, "What're we going to tell your colony when we find them?"

The question lingered on their minds. What would they tell the Silverwings? There would be questions on how the three of them had survived and escaped the cannibals. They would want to know what happened. Would they tell them everything? Especially what Shade had to do?

"Nothing," Zak suddenly said, "We don't tell them anything. They'll want to know how we're alive, yeah. But that doesn't mean we have to tell them every single little detail. We won't tell them what you did, Shade. That's a secret we'll keep until the end of our days. Right, Marina?"

As if realizing what he was telling them, the Brightwing got the clue and nodded, "Yeah. I gotcha'. All we'll say is that we got lucky and found a chance to escape."

The Greywing could see it on his face that Shade was surprised by the loyalty he and Marina were expressing. They were willing to keep such a dark secret for his sake. And take it to their graves, if they had to.

"Thanks, you guys. Really," Shade smiled warmly, "I probably said this already, but...I really am glad I met you both."

The trio continued on with their flight. They needed to get as far away from Goth and Throbb as possible, and figure out the next landmark they needed to follow. But first, they had to find a proper place to roost before dawn arrived. After such a stressful and mentally exhausting night, getting a good day's sleep was on the their minds.

They just hoped that the Silverwings weren't too far ahead of them and that they were safe.

— — — —

The roar of giant engines wasn't a very welcoming sound to Ariel's ears. She never did like the Humans machines due to how dangerous they were. Not ten minutes ago did the colony nearly learn that the hard way when Bathsheba, making her first ever major decision as head elder, decided that they could travel through the Human airfield safely. She claimed that as long as they were careful they could get through without any harm coming to them. So confident, Ariel shook her head.

The second they began to travel across the large open concrete field, they nearly came face to face with one of the Humans flying machines coming straight towards them. If it weren't for Mercury crying out in alarm, there might've been casualties. They needed to take a moment to catch their breath, too shaken to fly from the scare. Ariel could've sworn that she saw fear even in Bathsheba's aged features. Having been so confident moments ago, she looked like a scared child about to be scolded by their parent.

Especially with how Frieda glared at her. But in mere seconds, Bathsheba shook it off and turned away from her colleague out of defiance.

They had been carefully flying further through the airfield before coming across what looked like a suitable place to roost for the day, which Bathsheba proudly proclaimed was safe. Once they knew they were stopping, it was like fatigue and exhaustion suddenly overcame the mother and everyone else. It felt good to finally get some rest after flying for hours. It was a bland-looking building, built entirely out of metal but provided plenty of shelter from the wind and cold. Mothers and their children searched and found their roosting areas.

And like the others, Ariel found a spot and opened her wings for Bartho and Ben to join her. Both teenagers sighed in relief, nuzzling her mane out of comfort as they settled in.

"What a night," Ben murmured, looking weary and tired, "I thought we'd never make it to someplace safe. No thanks to Bathsheba."

"Not much we can do about that," Bartho replied, stretching his back and neck to relieve any kinks from the long flight, "It's like Frieda said. The colony voted for Bathsheba and that's who they got. As much as I hate the vote. But, Frieda knows how things work in our colony. Being leader for so long she knows what's right and wrong."

"I appreciate the kind words, Bartholomew," A familiar voice greeted, the elder herself roosting near the small family, as did Mercury, "I understand that things haven't gone the way we thought they would. Migrations were never meant to be easy. But with these new threats looming over us, we can't afford to be careless. Even if it means calling for new leadership."

There was a flash of emotion on Frieda's face as she recalled the vote. The two brothers spoke up.

"You've been an amazing leader, Frieda!" Ben chirped loudly, "Always have been! I still can't believe Bathsheba would go and force a vote against you!"

"I know you mean well when you said that we have to respect the decisions of the elders," Bartho followed, "But Bathsheba? I'm sorry, but that's a hard no from me. Elder or not, there's no way I'd respect somebody who takes advantage of the situation like she did, just so she can have a shot at being head elder."

"Boys," The elder quickly but softly shushed him, "I also understand your feelings on the matter. I do. You have every right to feel what you want to feel. But please, as I said back at Stonehold, Bathsheba had a right to call for a vote. I may not like that my position as head elder has been taken, either, but I learn to accept what's been done and move on."

"Even if it means Bathsheba could put us in danger again?" Mercury said, giving the elder a soft questioning gaze. Frieda only sighed.

"That was her mistake, there's no denying that. Perhaps she'll learn from it and improve. As she has always done for years now, ever since we were children. Whatever mistake she made, little or big, she strived to improve herself. Even the most experienced make mistakes." She sighed, a far away look forming in her eyes as she spoke, but then she came back into focus, "We should rest while we can. We've made progress, but there's still a ways to go before we reach Hibernaculum."

Even though her words were meant to be comforting, Ariel could not help but feel as if Frieda was referencing how she had saved Shade and Zak. It was a little disheartening if that's what she meant, that saving them was a mistake. She just sighed and told her boys to settle down and sleep.

As they drifted off, she still prayed that her son and the Greywing weren't too far behind. With each night that passed, and the further they moved along their migration route, the more her hope began to waver.

But she didn't want to give up on them. Not yet. She had faith that they would make it.

— —

Not too far up above, Bathsheba had been listening in on their conversation. They thought that she wouldn't hear them? No, of course she heard them. She heard everybody since they roosted.

Whispers about how she had put them and their children in danger, how she went against the warning that the area was off limits, and how they were second-guessing their votes to have her as leader. It made her angry. Self-conscious. Jealous.

The anger came from the fact that despite having voted for her so confidently back at Stonehold, the females were now left feeling unsure after one mistake. One single mistake.  
It was only one! Frieda had made mistakes before, but they didn't second-guess her! Why were they judging her, Bathsheba, after only one misjudged call?

The self-consciousness came from her always being second-best at everything for as long as she could remember. Sure, she had quite the prowess in political knowledge when she first began her lessons to take a position on the colony's council. She understood the laws and she knew how the council of elders worked in order to maintain peace within their colony. But no matter how hard she tried, she was always just a few steps behind Frieda who the previous council members found most promising to take the role as leader.

Despite her still earning a place in the female's council, Bathsheba hated that she didn't get the most important role. That's where the jealousy came into play. Frieda was always the favorite of everyone. She was always regarded as kind, understanding and treating everyone as her equal. Always the saint, she was.

Bathsheba couldn't help but frown. Of course everyone preferred her. Especially the lawbreaker's mother, seeing as Frieda had saved him and the outsider instead of handing them over to the owls. With that one decision she had doomed the colony to be punished for the actions of one.

Tree Haven was lost, all because Frieda was too damned soft for her own good. A real leader wouldn't be afraid to make the hard decisions. Had she been the leader, she wouldn't hesitate in handing over the two lawbreakers if it meant making sure that Tree Haven and the colony remained safe. But the stunt the former leader had pulled resulted in only chaos and misfortune being brought upon them all.

Now here they were, hiding from the owls, being forced to fly for long hours with nary a rest. But now that Bathsheba got what she always craved for, things were going to change. As much as she wanted to think over and plan what she wanted to improve on, sleep was calling her name. She felt lucky to have found a perfect spot to sleep for the day. Perhaps things would start looking up.

She felt confident in that, at least.

But as the colony began to sleep, not one soul was alert enough to notice that further inside their temporary roost, there was a glint of metal behind a giant grate. The shape which resembled something like the engines on the Humans flying machines.


End file.
